HOME DEPARTMENT

Cannabis

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to put the education campaign on cannabis announced in the House on 19 January into effect.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 21 November 2006
	A widespread education campaign on the harms of cannabis and all illegal drugs is under way. In partnership with DfES, the Home Office has produced "Understanding Drugs," a comprehensive teacher and pupil information pack which is now available to every secondary school in England. The FRANK campaign has updated its cannabis information resources with new TV and radio ads and wide-ranging information leaflets now available. In addition, the Department of Health will be issuing a toolkit for mental health practitioners on the links between cannabis and mental health.

Human Trafficking

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will sign the European Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

Vernon Coaker: The UK is currently considering whether to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The Government are examining how the Convention's approach could best be harmonised with effective immigration controls.

Human Trafficking

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to prevent human trafficking in the UK.

Vernon Coaker: Work currently being undertaken to prevent human trafficking includes a number of different elements. These include the recent opening of the UK Human Trafficking Centre in Sheffield; research and intelligence gathering to improve our knowledge and understanding of the scale and nature of human trafficking in the UK; awareness raising and capacity building in source and transit countries; and measures designed to address demand for trafficked persons.
	We are working hard with source countries to tackle the problem of trafficking at its root. We have provided funds for various anti-trafficking projects and awareness raising campaigns in the Western Balkans region, West Africa (including Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Niger and Togo) and the Greater Mekong region (parts of Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam).
	The UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking, currently being developed and due to be published early in 2007, will provide further details of the work being undertaken in this area.

Paedophile Support Groups

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to prevent defunct paedophile support groups from re-establishing.

Vernon Coaker: There are a range of legislative and enforcement measures in place that are aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse. Through the Sexual Offences Act 2003, the law was overhauled to provide greater protection for children from sexual abuse, and a new offence of 'meeting a child following sexual grooming' was introduced. Those who seek to harm children, whether through the online or offline environment, and whether acting alone or in groups, can expect to face the full force of the law. Of course, enforcement measures are kept under constant review in order to deal with the challenges presented by the constantly developing IT environment.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the pension age is for  (a) prison officers and  (b) police officers; what changes to these arrangements are planned; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: With regard to the pension age for prison officers, the Principal Civil Service Pension scheme is in two sections. Section 1, the 2002 section, is referred to as the premium scheme and has a pension accrual rate of one sixtieth. Section 2, the 1972 section, is referred to as the classic scheme. Classic has a pension accrual rate of one eightieth plus a lump sum accrual rate of three eightieths.
	The current normal pension age for members of both schemes is 60. However, some prison officers who are members of the classic scheme have a normal pension age of 55.
	In line with the principles agreed with the trade unions at the Public Services Forum in 2005, a new pension scheme will be introduced for new entrants to the civil service who will have a pension age of 65.
	With regard to police officers, under the Police Pension Scheme 1987, to which most officers belong, there is no fixed retirement age for the police. Officers with at least 25 years' service may retire with an immediate pension from the age of 50. Officers may also retire with an immediate pension, irrespective of age, after 30 years' service, when they will have accrued maximum benefits. This means that an officer who joined at 18 and a halfthe earliest age at which it is possible to start as a police officeris entitled to retire at 48 and a half with a full pension. Otherwise officers become eligible to retire with an immediate pension from the age of 55, 57 or 60, depending on what their compulsory retirement age would have been for their rank and force before such ages were revised with effect from 1 October this year. Officers with less than 25 years' service who leave the police with deferred benefits will receive their pensions at 60.
	The accrual rate under the Police Pension Scheme 1987 is one sixtieth of final salary for each year during the first 20 years and two sixtieths for each of the next 10 years, providing a target pension of two thirds of final salary, if no lump sum is taken, after 30 years.
	Members of the Police Pension Scheme 2006, those who joined the police service on or after 6 April this year, have a set pension age of 55 at or after which a serving officer can leave with an immediate pension irrespective of his or her length of service. Officers who leave the police service below the age of 55 with deferred benefits will receive their pension at 65.
	The accrual rate under the Police Pension Scheme 2006 is one seventieth of final salary for each year providing a target pension of one half of final salary, plus a fixed lump sum of twice final salary, after 35 years.

Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers retired in receipt of a pension from the date of retirement at  (a) under 50 years of age and  (b) between 50 and 55 years of age in each year since 1990-91; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information is a matter for the chief officer of each police force and is not available centrally.

Police

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department collects on the  (a) interests,  (b) affiliations and (c) memberships of police officers; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The Home Office does not collect data on the interests, affiliations or memberships of police officers. This is a matter for their respective forces.

State Opening of Parliament

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long traffic was delayed on the south side of Waterloo bridge adjacent to County Hall and St Thomas' hospital as a result of the closure of Westminster bridge consequent on security arrangements relating to the State Opening of Parliament ceremony on 15 November.

Tony McNulty: The operational arrangements for policing of the State Opening of Parliament are the responsibility of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Young Offenders

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the Independent Monitoring Board at each young offender institution holding juveniles have qualifications in child protection.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This information is not available.
	Membership data does not include qualification details.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Colombia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the G24-facilitated discussions between the Colombian Government and civil society on development and human rights issues; and how often representatives from the UK Embassy in Colombia have attended these meetings.

Geoff Hoon: In 2006, the G24 formally set up six sub-groups on thematic areas where representatives of civil society, the Colombian Government and the G24 could meet regularly to discuss specific issues of concern. This has provided a welcome forum for dialogue between non-governmental organisations and the Government on a range of human rights, conflict and development issues. We expect the thematic groups to continue in some form in 2007. The G24 is drawn from participants at the 2003 London Meeting on International Support for Columbia, which has a presence in Bogota.
	Each of the six sub-groups meets every month. Our embassy in Bogota has participated in a number of the groups' meetings, including those focusing on the rule of law and human rights and reintegration into civil life. The embassy also attends the quarterly meetings of the Follow-up Commission involving civil society, Colombian Government and G24 representatives, and in regular G24 steering meetings.

Ethiopia

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she plans to take towards ensuring that those detained in Ethiopia in connection with the political disturbances in 2005 receive a fair trial following the recent statement by Judge Teshale Aberra, a former senior judge in Ethiopia, about the judicial system in that country.

Geoff Hoon: Officials from our embassy in Addis Ababa made representations to the Ministry of Justice about the ongoing trial of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) leadership on 12 July 2006 and our ambassador in Addis Ababa has raised it with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, bilaterally and with EU ambassadors on several occasions, most recently on 14 October. He has also visited two representatives of civil society detained in connection with the disturbances.
	We will continue to make representations to the Government of Ethiopia regarding all those, including civil society representatives, detained in connection with the political disturbances in 2005.

Ethiopia

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will place in the Library a copy of the report produced by Michael Ellman, the EU observer in Ethiopia, on the trial of Coalition for Unity and Democracy opposition leaders.

Geoff Hoon: The EU observer to the Hailu Shawal and Coalition for Unity and Democracy leadership trial is employed by the EU and reports to the EU Presidency. Any reports the observer writes are submitted to the EU. The EU will take decisions on whether or not to publish any such reports. If any are published, the Government will place copies in the Library of the House.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she expects to publish her Department's gender equality scheme.

Geoff Hoon: The gender equality scheme (GES) will form part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) diversity equality scheme, which will be discussed by the FCO board on 24 November and published in early December. The GES will be revised before April 2007 to reflect a new action plan on gender.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work  (a) in her Department and  (b) for non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which her Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) revised its tender and procurement documentation in October to reflect the new public duties on disability and gender. We are also
	providing training for all staff involved in procurement work so that they fully understand the provisions of the sex discrimination and equal pay legislation where relevant to their work;
	informing procurement candidates or tenderers where to obtain information about contractors' obligations under the legislation and the gender equality duty; and
	including in every contract a performance condition that the contractor must comply with these obligations and the gender equality duty.
	We are sharing this with our non-departmental public bodies. The executive agencies for which we are responsible, FCO Services and Wilton Park, also drew up a detailed action plan in preparation for these new duties to ensure they promote diversity equality as appropriate with private organisations contracted to work for them. The action plan can be found at annex A of the FCO's diversity equality scheme, which will be published in December 2006. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans she has to carry out gender impact assessments of her Department's major policy developments and new legislation.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) introduced a new impact assessment tool in September. All major policy developments and papers submitted to the FCO board and the Board's sub-committees will be assessed using this tool to ensure we fulfil the new public duties on disability and gender, as well as the existing duty on race.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps she is taking to ensure that  (a) her Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which she is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men.

Geoff Hoon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the executive agencies for which we are responsible, FCO Services and Wilton Park, completed an audit of our policies, service and functions in October in preparation for the new public duties on disability and gender. We are currently undertaking a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats analysis of our approach to gender issues. In December we shall host a workshop with our gender advisory group, non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies and then draw up a detailed action plan which will form an annex to our gender equality scheme.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will list the occasions since she has held her present office when she has used  (a) rail services,  (b) the London Underground,  (c) tram or light railway services and  (d) buses in connection with her ministerial duties.

Margaret Beckett: On 9 June I travelled return to Paris on Eurostar for the Anglo-French summit.
	All my travel on official business is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in Travel by Ministers.

Visas

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether her Department has received the appeal determination from the Home Office referred to in the written answer of 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1438W, on visas; and when the visas will be issued to the two children to travel to the UK.

Kim Howells: The Visa Section at our High Commission in Kingston received the appeal determination on 2 November and has authorised the issuing of the visas. They are now waiting to receive the applicants' passports so the visas can be issued.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Coroners' Courts

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the outcome has been of discussions with United States authorities on the non-appearance of US military personnel at coroners' inquests.

Harriet Harman: I had a useful meeting on 20 November with David Johnson, US deputy ambassador to London, concerning attendance of American service personnel at the inquests of British soldiers killed in friendly-fire incidents in Iraq. Mr. Johnson has agreed to report back on the Government's concerns and we have agreed to meet again shortly.

Electoral System

George Galloway: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will meet the delegation from the Council of Europe investigating the British electoral system.

Bridget Prentice: We will, of course, be happy to meet the Council of Europe's delegation, to explain the changes we have made to the system of postal voting.
	It is disappointing that the original motion in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe failed to mention the steps that have been taken to strengthen the security of postal voting in the UK. We consider these steps will make the introduction of any monitoring procedure wholly unnecessary and unwarranted.

Electoral System

George Galloway: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what evidence her Department has made of the extent to which the rules on postal voting have affected the number of votes cast in local and national elections; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: My Department has not made any assessment on changing turnouts based solely on the rules governing postal voting. There may be a number of reasons, both national and local, for changing turnouts between particular elections.
	The Electoral Commission is responsible for reporting on national elections. Its report, Election 2005: Turnout, contains figures on the overall turnout at the 2001 and 2005 general elections, and the percentage of postal voters at these elections.
	Central Government do not hold figures on the number of postal voters at local and regional elections prior to 2006.

Electoral System

George Galloway: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether she has received the new draft code of conduct on postal voting produced by the Electoral Commission; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Government have not received a revised code of conduct on postal voting for the May 2007 local elections.

Electoral System

George Galloway: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the period of time candidates and electors are permitted in order to compile evidence and enter an electoral petition challenging the validity of an election; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Government believe that the 21-day time limit to enter an electoral petition is sufficient. Extending this limit could lead to prolonged uncertainty about election results.
	In addition, when there are allegations of fraud at a particular election, as a result of new rules introduced through the Electoral Administration Act 2006, the police are able to carry out investigations into such allegations for up to two years following the result of that election.

Freedom of Information

Anne Milton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many cases referred to the Information Commissioner have not been dealt with; what the average waiting time is for cases received by the Commissioner; what steps the Commissioner is taking to reduce waiting times; when the Commissioner expects to clear the backlog of cases; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The Information Commissioner is an independent body created by statute. On 31 October 2006, 1,291 freedom of information cases were in the process of being investigated. The average age of a freedom of information case when closed in 2006-07 is 135 days. On 26 October 2006 the Commissioner laid before Parliament a report describing his progress in eliminating the freedom of information case backlog and setting out his future plans.

IT Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what factors were taken into account in the decision to transfer to new suppliers the IT contracts for the  (a) Local County Court,  (b) ARAMIS and  (c) Libra systems; what costs are of each transfer; and what the expected effect is of each transfer.

Vera Baird: The main reason for transferring to new suppliers was that IT contracts for LOCCS, ARAMIS and Libra systems expire during 2007 and 2008. The Department has just completed a two year procurement (the DISC Programme) to award new contracts. Contracts with the new DISC suppliers were signed on 23 October 2006. Transfer costs are included within the Programme Business Case. Overall, these new contracts are forecast to deliver cost savings of more than 100 million over the next seven years on comparable IT services and will ensure more efficient, effective and joined-up services to DCA clients and staff.

IT Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs who provided IT services to her Department under the  (a) Libra,  (b) ARAMIS and  (c) LOCCS contracts up to 26 October.

Vera Baird: The IT services are provided under  (a) the Libra contract by Fujitsu, STL and Accenture; under  (b) the ARAMIS contract by Liberata UK Ltd., and under  (c) the LOCCS contract by EDS. The existing IT services will continue to be provided until the transfer to the new suppliers is completed during 2008.

IT Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what the expected cost is for the transition of IT services under the  (a) Libra,  (b) ARAMIS  (c) LOCCS contracts to other suppliers;
	(2)  what the expected completion date is for the transition of IT services under the  (a) Libra,  (b) ARAMIS and  (c) LOCCS contracts.

Vera Baird: Project plans are currently being developed so I am unable to provide the hon. Member with this information.

IT Contracts

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how she plans to choose the new provider of IT services under the  (a) Libra,  (b) ARAMIS and  (c) LOCCS contracts.

Vera Baird: The new providers have already been selected through the DISC Programme, which was a major procurement exercise run by the Department. Contracts were signed on 23 October 2006. Atos Origin has been appointed as the Infrastructure Services supplier. LogicaCMG has been appointed as the Application Services supplier.

Legal Aid

David Burrowes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many representations have been received by her Department following the implementation of the means test for criminal legal aid; and how many have expressed support for the new arrangements.

Vera Baird: Since 2 October my Department has received approximately 10 letters from MPs on behalf of solicitors and a further 29 representations directly from solicitors. There is support for means testing in principle. Many correspondents have raised practical concerns about the operation of the new means test and I have announced a range of changes which are intended to meet these concerns.

Legal Aid

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the likely impact on the legal aid budget of the reduction in the number of criminal cases going through the courts; and to what extent this reduction has informed the Department's proposals for legal aid reform.

Vera Baird: In forecasting future demand for legal aid my Department and the Legal Services Commission take into account prevailing trends across the justice system.

Regional Government

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her assessment is of the effect of regional government on democracy in the UK.

Vera Baird: In establishing the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly we have met the aspirations and desires of people in Scotland and Wales to be governed and to govern themselves. This is evident in the successful working of the devolution settlement which has, since 1998, increasingly strengthened the UK democracy. Furthermore, the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Bill will pave the way for the restoration of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland on 26 March 2007.
	The creation of the London Assembly and Greater London Authority in 2000 has allowed more effective local decision-making. However, there is not at present, a strong desire among people in England for further devolution of powers at a regional level.

Televising Court Proceedings

Lady Hermon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans she has to make provision for the televising of court proceedings in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Government have no plans to televise court proceedings in Northern Ireland.

Televising Court Proceedings

Lady Hermon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the merits of the televising of court proceedings in England and Wales.

Harriet Harman: The Government published a consultation paper on broadcasting courts in November 2004 and a summary of the responses to that paper was published in June 2005. My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has subsequently been considering the appropriate way forward in the light of the consultation responses.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Disqualification

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information is available closest to that asked for in the question answered on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 916-17W, on benefit disqualification.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available as the Department does not recognise the term able-bodied.

Benefit Fraud

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of benefit fraud in the last five years have been linked to the financing of suspected terrorists.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 21 November 2006
	The information is not available.

Child Support Agency

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the report on the policy and implementation issues that arise from Sir David Henshaw's first report Recovering Child Support: routes to responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: We are currently developing plans for introducing a new system of child support. As part of this we are considering the most effective way of moving to, and administering, the new system.
	We are carrying out an intensive programme of work to determine the way forward and plan to publish proposals in a White Paper, later this year.

Employment Rates

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what employment rates were in the UK in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 22 November 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about employment rates in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the latest year for which figures are available. (102261)
	The attached table gives the annual employment rates by gender for the twelve months ending in December 1997 and nine months ending September 2006.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Employment rates( 1)  for people of working age( 2)  by gender, 1997 and 2006United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted 
			  Percentage 
			  Twelve months ending December each year  All persons  Men  Women 
			 1997 72.8 77.8 67.4 
			 2006(3) 74.6 78.8 70.0 
			 (1) People in employment as a percentage of all persons in the relevant age group. (2) Men aged 16 to 64 and women age 16 to 59. (3) Nine months ending September 2006.  Source: ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS)

TRANSPORT

Dartford Crossing

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his consideration of the case for concessions for residents of Dartford and Thurrock using the Dartford Crossing extends to residents of  (a) Bexley and  (b) Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: No decisions have been made about whether or not to offer resident discounts for using the Dartford-Thurrock river crossing. The Government announced on 19 November 2006 that they would be consulting on proposed changes to the charging regime at the Dartford-Thurrock river crossings and it will be through this process that we take account of views about the proposals we have put forward.

Hyok Sin 2

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what powers the bulk carrier Hyok Sin 2 was banned from entering UK ports; why it was banned; what it was carrying; where it was boarded; and how many other vessels of that flag have been refused entry in similar circumstances.

Stephen Ladyman: The Hyok Sin 2 was subject to a Refusal of Access (banning) Order under Regulation 7B of the Merchant Shipping (Port State Control) Regulations 1995, as amended. These regulations incorporate the provisions of Article 11.6 of the EU Council Directive 95/21/EC. This requires member states to refuse access to their ports to certain classes of vessels if they have a poor detention record, and are flagged with flag states on the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Black List.
	The Hyok Sin 2 was boarded by Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors at Tees Dock on 11 April 2006 for a Port State Control inspection. The vessel failed the inspection with serious corrosion and wasting problems and was detained on safety grounds. The vessel arrived in ballast and had loaded a cargo of steel which was then discharged following the detention.
	Besides the Hyok Sin 2, one other Democratic People's Republic of Korea flagged vessel, the bulk carrier Abdulrahman, is currently banned from EU ports on account of its detention history. This vessel was banned by the Portuguese authorities in December 2005.

Stafford Railway Station

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are for upgrading  (a) the foyer and  (b) the car park at Stafford Railway Station.

Tom Harris: Virgin Trains have advised the Department that they are currently planning to carry out refurbishment works to the travel centre and ticket office at Stafford station in the spring of 2007.
	The Department is currently working with Network Rail and Virgin Trains to develop plans for the expansion of car parking at Stafford station linked to the introduction of service improvements in 2008.

Untaxed/Uninsured Vehicles

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's estimate is of the number of  (a) untaxed and  (b) uninsured vehicles; and what steps are being taken to reduce their number.

Stephen Ladyman: On  (a) and  (b) I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) on 21 November,  Official Report, column 36W.
	The steps which we are taking to reduce levels are as follows:
	 Vehicle excise duty (VED)
	We are making it as easy as possible to comply. Electronic vehicle licensing allows vehicle keepers to tax their vehicles electronically when it is convenient for them and checks the insurance and MOT databases automatically on their behalf.
	We are also continuing to enforce from the record. Continuous registration requires vehicles to be either taxed or subject to a statutory off-road notice at any time. As a result, it is no longer necessary to 'catch' an untaxed vehicle being used on the road in order to prosecute the keeper for VED evasion.
	We are using improved methods of detection (such as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) equipment), data and intelligence to target non-compliant vehicles on the road. In 2005-06 DVLA and its local authority partners clamped over 79,000 vehicles, more than half of which were crushed. A new contract was let in May 2006 which will allow this national scheme to be expanded. We expect DVLA and its partners to clamp around 150,000 untaxed vehicles this year.
	 Uninsured driving
	In order to strengthen enforcement activity to tackle insurance evasion we introduced two new measures last year. The first will give the police improved access to the Motor Insurance Database to enhance their ability to detect uninsured driving by using ANPR equipment. The second will empower the police to seize vehicles being driven uninsured. Both measures are proving effective, with the police seizing nearly 600 uninsured vehicles each week.
	In addition, the Road Safety Act 2006, which recently received Royal Assent, has powers for a new scheme of continuous insurance enforcement. This scheme will mean that rather than having to rely on detecting uninsured vehicles on the road we can now identify, from the database, vehicles where insurance polices have lapsed and not been renewed.
	This will enable us to target all insurance evaders, rather than just the necessarily smaller numbers that it is possible to identify on-road.

TREASURY

Aggregates Tax

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been collected since the inception of the aggregates tax; what the estimated take is for the next five years; and what monies he has re-invested in the aggregates industry to mitigate the impact of the tax.

John Healey: Aggregates levy receipts since introduction:
	
		
			  Financial year   million 
			 2002-03 247 
			 2003-04 339 
			 2004-05 334 
			 2005-06 326 
		
	
	The forecast of receipts for 2006-07, published at Budget 2006, is 0.3 billion.
	A forecast for 2007-08 will be published at the pre-Budget report 2006 and we will continue to publish forecasts at future pre-Budget reports and Budgets.
	The aggregates industry benefits from the 0.1 percentage point reduction in employer national insurance contributions, introduced simultaneously with the levy, and the aggregates levy sustainability fund, which has helped aggregates businesses with environmental projects and investment in processing and recycling plant.

Alcohol-related Deaths

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many alcohol-related deaths there have been in Shropshire in each year since 1991.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 November 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many alcohol-related deaths there have been in Shropshire in each year since 1991. I am replying in her absence. (101320)
	The table below provides the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in Shropshire county from 1991 to 2005 (the latest year available).
	So that comparison over time is for a consistent area, deaths in the current Telford and Wrekin unitary authority, which was part of the former County of Shropshire, have not been included for any year.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death,( 1 ) Shropshire county,( 2)  1991 to 2005( 3) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			 1991 11 
			 1992 19 
			 1993 14 
			 1994 13 
			 1995 13 
			 1996 15 
			 1997 7 
			 1998 18 
			 1999 30 
			 2000 17 
			 2001 20 
			 2002 39 
			 2003 42 
			 2004 46 
			 2005 29 
			 (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) for the years 1998 to 2000, and Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for 2001 onwards. The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes, are shown in the boxes below. The introduction of ICD-10 in 2001 means that the numbers of deaths from this cause before 2001 are not completely comparable with later years. (2) Based on the boundaries of Shropshire county as of 2005. Deaths in Telford and Wrekin unitary authority are not included for any year. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1. Alcohol-related causes of deathInternational Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-9 code(s) 
			 Alcoholic psychoses 291 
			 Alcohol dependence syndrome 303 
			 Non-dependent abuse of alcohol 305 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy 425.5 
			 Alcoholic fatty liver 571 
			 Acute alcoholic hepatitis 571.1 
			 Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver 571.2 
			 Alcoholic liver damage, unspecified 571.3 
			 Chronic hepatitis 571.4 
			 Cirrhosis of liver without mention of alcohol 571.5 
			 Other chronic non-alcoholic liver disease 571.8 
			 Unspecified chronic liver disease without mention of alcohol 571.9 
			 Accidental poisoning by alcohol E860 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 2. Alcohol-related causes of deathInternational Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15

Child Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of child benefit was for  (a) second and  (b) successive children as a percentage of national average earnings in each year since 1979-80; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Child Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the  (a) cost and  (b) effect on child poverty of linking child benefit to earnings growth rather than prices growth for each year from 2007-08 to 2020-21; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: My reply of 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1018W, implied that, in the medium term, the annual cost of uprating child benefit by earnings rather than prices is around 200 million in today's prices, and that this might reduce the number of children in poverty by between 20 and 30 thousand a year.
	Any such estimates for later years would depend on a number of assumptions including growth in average earnings and retail prices going well beyond those for the medium term given in Budget 2006 Tables B2 and C3. Such assumptions would all be subject to significant uncertainties by 2020-21.

Contraband

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average street prices of  (a) each illegal drug,  (b) firearms,  (c) prohibited alcohol,  (d) smuggled alcohol,  (e) smuggled cigarettes and  (f) other smuggled tobacco products in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The estimated UK average street prices for drugs over the last five years have been:
	
		
			   
			   Cannabis, herbal (per ounce)  Cannabis, resin (per ounce)  Cocaine (per gram)  Crack (per 0.2 gram rock)  Heroin (per gram)  Ecstasy (per dose) 
			 2001 80 77 60 21 63 7 
			 2002 83 81 56 20 61 6 
			 2003 72 66 55 19 62 5 
			 2004 72 61 51 18 55 4 
			 2005 75 55 49 19 54 4 
		
	
	 (b) The value of firearms varies widely and will increase if supplied with ammunition. Factors affecting price include relationship between buyer and seller, model, previous association with crime and reliability. We have the following range for 2005:
	handguns 150 for a 'dirty' weapon and 1,500 brand new,
	shotguns priced between 150 and 200, and
	sub-machine guns (such as MAC 10s) between 500 and 4,000.
	We do not have street prices for firearms for the last five years.
	 (c) Price of counterfeit alcohol products varies. Good quality counterfeit products such as spirits can be sold in cash and carry or retail outlets at the same price as the legitimate products.
	 (d) Duty free alcohol products diverted on to the home market can be sold in cash and carry warehouses and smaller shops. They are generally sold at the same, or slightly less than the price of legally sourced products.
	 (e) Street prices for smuggled cigarettes have remained steady at around 25 for 200 over the last five years.
	 (f) Street prices for smuggled hand rolling tobacco over the last five years has varied from just under 4 to 4.50 for 50 grams.

Customs Seizures

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the 100 million allocated for custom officers and new technology to tackle illegal and prohibited materials from entering the UK was spent.

Dawn Primarolo: 100 million has been spent by Programme Cyclamen on the recruitment and training of additional Customs Officers and on the installation of radiological scanning technology at ports and airports in the UK.

Customs Travel Expenses

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total travel expenses were paid to customs officers in  (a) the UK and  (b) the South region in (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on travel expense payments made to customs officers is not available.

EU Membership

David Gauke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in the UK dependent upon the UK's membership of the European Union.

John Healey: The Government estimate that around 3 million jobs in the UK may be linked, directly and indirectly, to the export of goods and services to the European Union.

Green Heat

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce fiscal incentives to stimulate the market for green heat from renewable energy technologies.

John Healey: The Government have already introduced a number of measures in support of heat generating renewable energy technologies. A reduced rate of VAT has been extended to all existing microgeneration technologies and Budget 2006 announced a further 50 million to enable installation of these technologies through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. In addition, the Government have also introduced enhanced capital allowances to encourage businesses to invest in energy-saving technologies.
	All decisions on tax are made by the Chancellor and announced as part of the Budget process.

HM Revenue and Customs

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been a number of statements in recent years about the creation and future of HM Revenue and Customs. I refer the hon. Gentleman to paragraph 5.80 of the 2004 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (HC 301) and my right hon. friend the Chancellor's Budget Statements that year,  Official Report, 17 March 2004, column 331, and this year,  Official Report, 22 March 2006, Column 300.
	HM Revenue and Customs report regularly on progress, most recently in their spring departmental report 2006 (Cm 6832).

Irish Corporation Tax

David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK economy of corporation tax rates in the Republic of Ireland.

Dawn Primarolo: No specific Government study has been undertaken into the impact on the UK economy of corporation tax rates in the Republic of Ireland.
	Surveys by respected international bodies consistently show that the UK is successful at providing a business friendly environment and a competitive tax system. For example, the World Bank's study of 145 countriesDoing Business in 2006placed the UK ninth in the world for ease of doing business, with the Republic of Ireland behind in 11th place. The World Economic Forum's 2006 Global Competitiveness Report ranked the UK 10th out of 125 countries in its index of international business competitiveness. The Republic of Ireland was ranked 21st.

Mortality Rates

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) diagnosis and  (b) mortality rate was for (i) chronic lung disease, (ii) coronary heart disease and (iii) cancer in each ward in Worsley constituency in each of the last 15 years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 22 November 2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the (a) diagnosis and (b) mortality rate was for (i) chronic lung disease, (ii) coronary heart disease and (iii) cancer in each ward in Worsley constituency in each of the last 15 years. I am replying in her absence. (101185)
	Figures on the incidence of chronic lung disease and coronary heart disease are not readily available. The numbers of deaths and cancer registrations per year in each ward in Worsley parliamentary constituency are too small for the reliable calculation of rates. Mortality and incidence rates for parliamentary constituencies which do not share boundaries exactly with a local authority can be calculated only from 2001 onwards.
	The tables below provide (a) the age-standardised cancer incidence rate, and (b) the age-standardised mortality rates for (i) chronic lung disease, (ii) coronary heart disease and (iii) cancer in Worsley parliamentary constituency for the years 2001 to 2004 (the latest available).
	The ward population estimates on which these rates are based are experimental statistics - that is, statistics which are in a testing or consultation phase and are not fully developed - and the figures should therefore be treated with caution.
	
		
			  Table 1: Age-standardised cancer incidence rates( 1,2) , Worsley parliamentary constituency, 2001-04( 3, 4) 
			   Cases per 100,000 
			 2001 370 
			 2002 349 
			 2003 391 
			 2004 416 
			 (1 )Age-standardised cancer registration rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes COO-C97 excluding code C44: non-melanoma skin cancer. (3) Using local authority ward boundaries as of 2005 for cancer registrations for all years shown. (4) The ward population estimates used to calculate the ward incidence rates are experimental statistics, and are consistent with the published local authority mid-year estimates for the relevant year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Age-standardised mortality rates for chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease and cancer( 1, 2) , Worsley parliamentary constituency, 2001-04( 3, 4) 
			  Deaths per 100,000 
			   Chronic lung disease  Coronary heart disease  Cancer 
			 2001 37 154 211 
			 2002 42 142 216 
			 2003 47 138 194 
			 2004 34 126 181 
			 (1 )Age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes J40-J47 for chronic lung disease, 120-125 for coronary heart disease, and COO-C97 for cancer. (3) Using local authority ward boundaries as of 2005 for deaths for all years shown. (4) The ward population estimates used to calculate the ward mortality rates are experimental statistics, and are consistent with the published local authority mid-year estimates for the relevant year.

Neonatal Deaths

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many neonatal deaths occurred in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Jil Matheson, dated 22 November2006:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question asking how many neonatal deaths occurred in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence. (101825)
	The number of neonatal deaths in England and Wales for the last five years are given in the table below.
	
		
			  Number of neonatal deaths in England and Wales, 2001 to 2005 
			   Number 
			 2001 2,137 
			 2002 2,126 
			 2003 2,264 
			 2004 2,209 
			 2005(1) 2,220 
			 (1) Provisional. 
		
	
	The above figures are routinely published by ONS in Health Statistics Quarterly (HSQ) as part of the report on infant and perinatal mortality by health areas in England and Wales. Neonatal deaths in England and Wales from 1976 to 2005 (the most recent year available) are published in table 1 on page 76 of the journal. This can be accessed using the following link:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/HSQ31.pdf

Poole Customs Officers

Robert Key: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where customs officers working in the Port of Poole on 31 August were based.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC Officers are flexible and mobile and are deployed in line with risk and intelligence assessments.
	Information by location cannot be disclosed as this would provide information of value to those seeking to circumvent HM Revenue and Customs' controls, thereby prejudicing the prevention of crime.

Research and Development Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people he expects to work in the Glasgow satellite office of the new research and development tax credit offices.

John Healey: The satellite office in Glasgow will initially be staffed by one dedicated R and D specialist inspector with support provided by other staff at that location.
	The position will be kept under review and further resources will be allocated in the future if necessary.

Research and Development Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what specialist training is planned for HM Revenue and Customs staff to work in one of the new research and development tax credit units.

John Healey: The specialist R and D units' staff received additional training over a three-day period at the beginning of October 2006. This included training on the scope and purpose of R and D tax credits, current and emerging technical issues and specialist training on software R and D claims. In addition, HMRC will ensure the continued professional development of the specialist units' staff.

Research and Development Tax Credits

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he used to decide the locations of the new research and development tax credit units.

John Healey: The location of the units takes into account existing concentrations of HMRC staff, the availability of staff who have already had substantial experience of R and D tax credits, and the key areas of R and D activity throughout the UK. This approach is designed to enable HMRC to meet its obligation to assist customers with claims whilst maintaining a reasonable geographic spread.

Red Diesel

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made in negotiations to extend the derogation from EU regulations to enable pleasure boats to use red diesel.

John Healey: Under the EU Energy Products Directive, the UK holds derogations to allow reduced or exempt rates of duty on fuel used by private pleasure craft and aircraft, and waste oils reused as fuel. We submitted applications for renewal of all three derogations to the European Commission in October, and we await the Commission's response.

Tax Credits

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of how many people in Northern Ireland who are eligible for working tax credit are not receiving it.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of working families with children eligible for, but not receiving, tax credits broken down by country and Government office region is available in table 9 of the 2003-04 tax credit take-up rates publication at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm.
	A similar breakdown for those without children is not available.

Tax Credits

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why tax credits are not backdated in circumstances where eligibility for them is clear.

Dawn Primarolo: An award to tax credits can be backdated to a maximum of three months from the date of the claim providing eligibility requirements are met at the earlier date.

Tax Credits

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single people are receiving working tax credit in Northern Ireland.

Dawn Primarolo: Provisional estimates for the number of single people with working tax credit awards in Northern Ireland, as at April 2006, are published in Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. April 2006. This is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterlv-stats.htm

Tax Fraud and Error

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information is collected by HM Revenue and Customs on the cost/yield ratios for investigating  (a) tax fraud and  (b) error; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Commission

Oliver Heald: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission if he will make a statement on the reappointment of the Chairman of the Electoral Commission.

Peter Viggers: The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, like the other Commissioners, is appointed by Her Majesty following an Address from this House. As I announced in the House on 6 November in response to an oral question from my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester, the current Chairman, Sam Younger, has been offered a further period of office, to expire on 31 December 2008, subject to the statutory consultation required of the registered leaders of certain political parties, and the agreement of this House. Mr Younger has accepted this offer, and the statutory consultation of party leaders is about to be concluded.
	My hon. Friend will find further background on the reappointment process in my answers to my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester on 6 November,  Official Report, column 576.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Security Measures

Lynne Jones: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what the cost has been of the dismantling and re-erection of physical security measures outside the Palace of Westminster for proceedings for the State Opening of Parliament.

Nick Harvey: The cost of the dismantling and re-erection of physical security measures outside the Palace of Westminster for proceedings for the State Opening of Parliament was 44,850 plus VAT.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Court of Appeal

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Solicitor-General in what circumstances he will refer to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient a sentence imposed on an employer as the result of a conviction arising from an accident at work to an employee; in how many cases he has done so in the last five years; what the outcome was of the referred cases; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The ULS scheme allows me to refer certain serious offences to the Court of Appeal where I consider the sentence imposed is in law unduly lenient, and I only take decisions to refer after a careful review of the facts and circumstances of the case and the relevant sentencing case law. The scheme does not extend to the health and safety at work legislation, but manslaughter is included in it. A review of manslaughter cases which have been referred to the Court of Appeal since 2002 shows that one such case concerned an accident at work to an employee. The offender's name was Michael Shaw, and on 4 October this year the Court of Appeal replaced his original sentence of two years' imprisonment suspended for two years with an immediate custodial term of fifteen months.

Public Prosecution Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Solicitor-General whether he plans for regional offices of the Public Prosecution Service to be established in Belfast and Newry; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The PPS has been planning to operate on a regional basis with Regional Offices in six major cities and principal towns.
	Ballymena, Belfast, Lisburn, Londonderry, Newry and Omagh have been identified as the most appropriate sites for the new regional offices. The Belfast regional office, which is based in the PPS Belfast Headquarters, and the Lisburn office are already open and operating. The Ballymena building is due for completion later this month and will be operational by mid-December. The Omagh building is due for completion by July 2007.
	The PPS has to date been unable to secure suitable sites in either Londonderry or Newry through the public procurement exercise and as a result has been working closely with the Northern Ireland Valuation and Lands Agency to identify and negotiate arrangement for sites in both of these cities.
	Negotiations in regard to Londonderry are now well advanced with a view to agreement to secure a new build site with developers in the new year. Work is still ongoing to find a suitable site in Newry.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department's staff are working in Afghanistan.

Hilary Benn: DFID currently has 16 UK-based officials in Afghanistan. 15 are in Kabul and one in Helmand.
	Three additional posts in Kabul (in conflict, economics and an additional secondee to the British Embassy Drugs Team) are vacant. A new post will begin in January which will take responsibility for coordinating activities in Helmand. This makes a total planned complement of 20 staff in Afghanistan. The DFID Afghanistan team also has UK officials in London, and Afghan staff in Kabul, and staff from Kabul travel regularly to other provinces (notably Helmand) to support the team there.
	The Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit (PCRU), for which DFID has accounting responsibility, has one official based in Kabul as part of the Strategic Delivery Unit, and has deployed four UK officials to Helmand at various times in advance of the arrival of other Departments' staff. A PCRU-funded staff member, who from January will be funded by DFID, manages the funds available for Quick Impact Projects in Helmand.

Aid Monitoring

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the 10-year plans his Department intends to sign with partner countries referred to in the Making Governance Work for the Poor White Paper will contain  (a) provisions to divert aid from projects which fail to achieve the plan's aims and  (b) performance benchmarks against which partner countries will be judged.

Hilary Benn: DFID will establish strategic 10-year Development Partnership Arrangements with countries that show a commitment to good governance and reducing poverty. These long-term arrangements are based on the UK's conditionality policy which sets out the circumstances under which DFID will interrupt or suspend aid. We will consider interrupting aid if there is a breach of the partnership commitments that form the basis of our relationship with national governments; i.e. if:
	(i) countries veer significantly away from their agreed poverty reduction objectives or from the agreed objectives of a particular aid commitment
	(ii) countries are in significant violation of human rights or other international obligations; or
	(iii) there is a significant breakdown in the performance of partner Government financial management and accountability systems leading to the risk of funds being misused through weak administration or corruption.
	10-year arrangements will set out long-term and predictable support that will be delivered in ways that ensure that DFID funds are used to reduce poverty. Such arrangements will contain benchmarks to assess the partner Government's performance. A failure to meet benchmarks would not lead automatically to interruption of aid flows. Initially it would trigger discussion with the partner Government about progress with reforms and how constraints to implementation might be resolved. However, a persistent failure to achieve results would lead us to review the Government's commitment to poverty reduction. The strategic partnership arrangements are supported by individual funding instruments for each development intervention. Individual funding instruments contain a provision to modify or terminate our support in poorly performing programmes.

Aid Monitoring

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how his Department assesses potential development projects to see how quantitative performance criteria can be incorporated into the monitoring and evaluation schemes of such projects.

Hilary Benn: DFID delegates responsibility for the assessment of potential bilateral development projects and their design to field teams, usually based in countries where the projects will take place. For projects above 7.5 million formal approval at Director or Ministerial level is required.
	DFID uses a log frame mechanism which sets out each project's goal, purpose, and outputs. Objectively verifiable indicators to allow the monitoring and evaluation of performance are set out at each of these levels and will be quantitative where appropriate. These will be identified prior to a project being approved.
	Bilateral projects of 1 million and over are reviewed annually against the indicators set out in the log frame and management action is then taken if necessary. Performance scores are given together with a narrative description of progress. On completion, a final review takes place to evaluate the success or otherwise of the project, again based on the performance criteria set out at the design stage.

Aid Monitoring

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of projects funded by his Department at a cost of more than 1 million contain quantitative performance criteria against which their success or failure can be measured.

Hilary Benn: All projects funded by DFID at a cost of more than 1 million contain objective verifiable indicators against which performance can be assessed. In the majority of projects, those indicators are contained in the project's logical framework. This is the tool that DFID uses to set project objectives and identify performance indicators. In some cases, however, an equivalent performance framework is used, such as that of another donor. Progress towards the project's indicators is reviewed on an annual basis.

Aid Monitoring

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria his Department uses in deciding how much funding to allocate to each multilateral aid organisation in addition to any obligatory contributions.

Hilary Benn: We assess the effectiveness of multilateral aid in contributing towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, which is the overall basis for our aid allocation decisions.
	In 2004, DFID assessed the internal systems of our 23 key multilateral partners using a Multilateral Effectiveness Framework (MEFF). This has helped us better understand how well they are organised to deliver their business.
	DFID is using the results of the MEFF in conjunction with other assessments to inform the Comprehensive Spending Review process. These include surveys carried out by the Multilateral Organisations Performance Assessment Network, a group of nine donors assessing effectiveness at the country level, as well as the performance reporting of the multilateral themselves.
	Criteria include their performance at a country or global level, the quality of their partnerships, how they are building for the future, and how they manage their resources. We also look at their performance within particular contexts (for example fragile states) and sectors (for example health). Their coverage and other criteria are also considered.
	Taken together these will inform financing decisions we believe will have the greatest impact on the lives of the world's poor people.

Departmental Staff

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average length of overseas posting is for full-time staff in his Department who are posted to developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: The average length of an overseas posting in DFID is two to three years.

Iraq

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of internally displaced people in Iraq; and what assessment he has made of recent trends in the number.

Hilary Benn: The Government of Iraq, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and its partners estimate there are now more than 1.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Iraq. Up to 1.1 million of these people are believed to have left their homes under the previous regime. The UNHCR report that there are 424,000 newly displaced who have left their homes and communities since the bombing of the Samarra shrine in February 2006. Reasons for this recent displacement are mainly due to the rise in sectarian violence around Iraq.
	The majority of internally displaced persons in Iraq are either living with relatives, friends or extended family, or renting accommodation in other neighbourhoods. However, thousands of displaced persons without family links or money are living in public buildings and schools, improvised shelters and government camps run by the International Federation of the Red Crescent.
	UN agencies are delivering food and emergency assistance in central and southern Iraq together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Organisation of Migration (IOM). Since February, the ICRC has distributed food and emergency relief to 150,000 people. EC member states have recently agreed to give 10 million to the UN for the provision of additional shelter and other basic needs for IDPs.
	The UNHCR also estimates that there are up to 1.6 million Iraqis living outside their country, most of them in Jordan (500,000) and Syria (450,000). Some have been outside for a decade or more, but many have moved since 2003. The UN Assistance Mission Iraq is currently conducting an assessment of these people's needs.
	Since 2003, DFID has contributed over 100 million to humanitarian agencies working in Iraq, including 85 million for the UN Humanitarian Appeal and 32 million to the ICRC for emergency humanitarian assistance. This includes 4 million for its 2006 Appeal. In 2004, DFID also provided 70 million to the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI). IRFFI has already spent over $18 million on supporting the return and reintegration of IDPs in Iraq. We are in close touch with UN humanitarian agencies so that we are able to respond quickly where unmet needs are identified.

Pakistan

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid is being  (a) offered and  (b) provided to Pakistan.

Gareth Thomas: For the three-year period 2005-06 to 2007-08 a Country Assistance Framework of 236 million has been agreed with the Government of Pakistan. An additional 58 million was committed for emergency relief following the earthquake of October 2005 and 70 million has been committed for earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation over the three-year period 2006-07 to 2008-09.
	Of the Country Assistance Framework funds, around 140 million will be disbursed by the end of 2006-07. 54 million has been spent on earthquake emergency relief and to date 5 million has been spent on earthquake reconstruction. We anticipate disbursing another 20 million of the reconstruction money by the end of this financial year.
	On Sunday 19 November, Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that the UK's aid to Pakistan will double to 480 million over the spending period 2008-11. The planning process on how to spend the additional resources to achieve the best possible results for poverty reduction in Pakistan has begun. Decisions will be made in consultation with the Government of Pakistan, the Pakistani diaspora, other donors and Whitehall.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Higher Education

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school leavers in  (a) Wansbeck constituency,  (b) Northumberland and  (c) England entered higher education in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is shown in the table. Figures for 2005-06 will be available in January 2007.
	
		
			  Students aged 18 entering higher education undergraduate courses at UK higher education institutions 
			 Of which: 
			   Total England  Total with known postcodes  from Northumberland local authority area  from Wansbeck constituency 
			 1997-98 117,640 108,230 930 210 
			 1998-99 118,515 114,600 1,020 230 
			 1999-2000 116,580 114,930 880 190 
			 2000-01 115,850 114,630 920 190 
			 2001-02 121,815 120,510 870 200 
			 2002-03 125,285 122,880 885 210 
			 2003-04 127,290 126,640 900 220 
			 2004-05 129,615 129,065 870 205 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five, and are on a DfES snapshot basis. 2. Students from Northumberland local authority area or Wansbeck are identified by reference to their home postcode. 3. These students may have entered higher education from school sixth forms, or from FE sector institutions, including Sixth Form Colleges.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Special Needs

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were diagnosed with dyslexia by a special educational needs co-ordinator in each year since 1997.

Parmjit Dhanda: Identification of a child's special educational needs (SEN) is a whole school issue and does not rely on a single person to identify needs. Guidance for the head teacher, SENCO and class teacher in addition to the governing body is set out in the SEN code of practice.
	Information on the number of children with dyslexia alone is not collected centrally. Children with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) have a particular difficulty in learning to read, write, spell or manipulate numbers and this includes pupils with dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia. Since 2004, data have been collected on children with SEN by type of need at School Action Plus and with a statement of SEN and figures are set out in the following table. In addition to the figures in the table, there will also be children at School Action with SpLD whose needs are met within school using the flexibilities set out in the National Curriculum Inclusion Statement. Data on these children are not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary and all special schools( 1) : number and percentage of pupils whose primary need is specific learning difficulty( 2,3)  2004-06, position in January each year, England 
			   Number( 4)  Percentage( 5) 
			 2004 83,780 14.2 
			 2005 82,650 13.8 
			 2006 77,420 12.6 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. Includes maintained and non- maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (2) Information on primary need only is provided for pupils at School Action Plus and those with a statement of SEN. (3) Excludes dually registered pupils. (4) Totals shown here may not appear to match those published as raw figures have been added together before rounding. (5) Number of pupils whose primary need is specific learning difficulty expressed as a percentage of all pupils at School Action Plus and those with a statement of SEN.  Note:  Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10  Source:  Schools Census

Special Needs

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to introduce national training frameworks for special educational needs co-ordinators.

Parmjit Dhanda: In our response to the House of Commons Education and Skills Select Committee report on special educational needs, published on 11 October 2006 (Cm 6940), we declared our intention to require, through regulations, all newly appointed SEN co-ordinators to undertake nationally accredited training. These regulations would be made pursuant to section 173 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
	The Training and Development Agency for Schools is undertaking associated development work, beginning with establishing a clear statement of the key components of the role, knowledge, skills and experience required of those leading SEN and disability provision in schools.

Special Needs

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many hours' training in special education needs teachers receive before they become nationally qualified teachers.

Parmjit Dhanda: It is not possible to quantify the number of hours that any one trainee might spend focusing upon special education needs (SEN), nor indeed any other aspect of their initial teacher training (ITT).
	All accredited providers of ITT have to design their programmes leading to the award of qualified teacher status to meet the standards and the requirements for ITT as set out currently by the Secretary of State. Specific standards relating to SEN state that trainees will:
	understand their responsibilities under the SEN code of practice, and know how to seek advice from specialists on less common types of special educational needs;
	identify and support more able pupils, those who are working below age-related expectations, those who are failing to achieve their potential in learning, and those who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficultieswith guidance from an experienced teacher where appropriate;
	and
	differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, including the more able and those with special educational needsagain with guidance from an experienced teacher where appropriate.
	Most ITT programmes include substantial time spent training in schools, where trainees will become aware and learn about SEN issues along with other aspects of teaching. Providers must ensure that training takes account of individual trainees' needs, meaning that training will be personalised, and not be based on a one-size-fits-all model.
	Over the period 2006-08, the Training and Development Agency for Schools is carrying out a 1.1 million programme of DFES-funded activity to enhance SEN and disability coverage in ITT courses and induction, and to improve professional development opportunities for those teachers already in post.

Special Needs

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children with epilepsy in  (a) Greater London, broken down by London borough, and  (b) England have a statement of special educational needs.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department does not collect this information.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Bonus Payments

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria a civil servant in her Department must fulfil  (a) to be considered for a bonus on top of their regular salary and  (b) to be awarded a bonus.

David Lammy: DCMS awards two types of bonus on top of regular salary:  (a) performance bonuses, for which there are different systems for members of the senior civil service and for all other staff; and  (b) special bonuses.
	 (a) Performance bonuses
	For members of the senior civil service, bonuses reward in-year performance in relation to agreed objectives, or short-term personal contribution to wider organisational objectives, with decisions on the award of bonuses and their size differentiated in order to recognise the most significant deliverers of in-year performance.
	For all other staff performance-related bonuses have, until 2005-06, been paid to people assessed as being in the first of four performance categories, who were considered
	highly successful in achieving objectives and consistently demonstrating competences above expectations.
	DCMS has recently changed its performance-related pay system so that, from 2006-07 onwards, bonuses will be awarded to staff based on the
	relative strength of the evidence presented of performance in meeting or exceeding job-specific, personal development and leading learning objectives, and demonstration of core competences.
	 (b) Special bonuses
	Special bonuses are used to give tangible recognition and reward to staff who have made an outstanding contribution in a particularly demanding task or situation.
	Overall, in 2005-06, 24 per cent. of DCMS staff were awarded a performance bonus and 23 per cent. were awarded a special bonus.

Digital Television

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of households outside digital terrestrial television coverage areas which cannot receive satellite digital services; and if she will make a statement on digital television coverage in rural areas.

Shaun Woodward: No assessment has been made of the proportion of households outside the reach of both satellite and terrestrial coverage, (although we expect that it will be very small). Research is currently being carried out by Ofcom, together with Digital UK and the BBC, on reception prospects across the UK at switchover.
	At switchover, all unconverted transmitters that serve more rural areas will be upgraded so that digital coverage substantially matches that currently achieved by analogue services. Digital satellite signals are already available to nearly all UK households, urban and rural.

Digital Television

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to promote local and community television provision as part of the digital switchover process.

Shaun Woodward: We are committed to promoting the development of local and community television services and have worked with Ofcom to explore the opportunities offered by new technologies, including broadband and digital terrestrial television.
	Ofcom is currently carrying out its Digital Dividend Review on the options for the spectrum released following digital switchover. This includes the use of spectrum interleaved between the Digital Terrestrial Television multiplexes which would be particularly suitable for local services using low power transmission.
	Ofcom intends to consult on the findings shortly. Once the consultation is completed, we should be ready to consider the policy options for encouraging the development of local and community television.

Digital Television

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her latest estimate is of the percentage of households ready for digital television in advance of the analogue switch-off in  (a) the North East and  (b) the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: In the Tyne Tees ITV region, it is estimated that around 71 per cent. of households have at least one television set able to receive digital services. Nationwide, the figure is 70.2 per cent.
	Following switchover, digital terrestrial television (DTT) coverage will be increased substantially to match that currently achieved by analogue services. With the right equipment the vast majority of homes can receive digital TV via satellite.

Digital Television

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of households which will be eligible for targeted assistance in the switch to digital; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: We estimate that around 7 million UK households will qualify for assistance from the digital switchover help scheme between 2008 and 2012. This represents around 25 per cent. of all UK households by 2012.

Digital Television

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the average cost of upgrading a home to receive digital television as part of the targeted assistance programme; and if she will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: DCMS have made estimates of budget for the digital switchover help scheme. We will publish appropriate details in the context of the licence fee settlement. This is unlikely to include detailed information on per-household costs (to avoid prejudicing negotiations to secure the contractor to deliver the scheme).

Executive Partnership Programme

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which schools in Oxfordshire have participated in the Executive Partnership Programme; and how much each has been allocated under the programme.

David Lammy: The nearest creative partnership regional office is Slough, which has worked with the following schools in Oxfordshire:
	Didcot Girls' School
	Rose Hill Primary School
	The John Henry Newman CE (A) Primary School
	St. John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Littlemore
	Wood Farm Primary School
	Cheney School
	Pegasus School
	Windale Community Primary School
	Peers School
	While pupils from all of these schools will have participated in core project activity, these schools have not received direct funding from the programme. It is therefore not possible to give a precise financial breakdown for each school.
	In addition to their involvement in core project activity, Didcot Girls' School received a 5,000 Creativity Action Research Award to run a project using video and drama to enhance their learning of science.

Licensing Act

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many premises in each London borough have been granted 24-hour licences under the Licensing Act 2003.

Shaun Woodward: The Licensing Act 2003 devolved the administration of the licensing regime to individual licensing authorities. Information on total number of 24-hour licences is not held centrally.

Local Theatres (Huddersfield)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with local theatre organisations within the parliamentary constituency of Huddersfield in the last 12 months.

David Lammy: Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I has had any such discussions.

Olympics 2012

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has had on steps to ensure that timber used in the construction of Olympic facilities is legal and sustainable.

Richard Caborn: The Government are committed to ensuring that we deliver not only the most successful Olympic games and Paralympic games, but also that they are environmentally, economically and socially responsible. We are working closely with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the body responsible for constructing the games facilities, as well as the London Organising Committee of the Olympic games and Paralympic games (London 2012 Organising Committee) to realise this aim.
	In the candidate file, which set out the commitments for the games, we promised to make sustainable development integral to every aspect of our vision for the games. To deliver this, sustainable development criteria will be taken into account in planning, tendering and procurement decisions by both the ODA and the London 2012 Organising Committee. The ODA committed to identifying, sourcing and using environmentally and socially responsible materials in its draft Sustainability and Progress Report published in July 2006, and is developing a materials policy to outline how it intends to deliver this objective. The London 2012 Organising Committee will manage its procurement policy separately from the ODA, but will also adopt fair and sustainable procurement principles. Its procurement policy and associated strategy are currently being developed.

Olympics 2012

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidelines have been issued to ensure that the Olympic Delivery Authority considers whole-life cost of facilities when deciding upon final construction designs and specifications.

Richard Caborn: The Olympic Delivery Authority Management Statement and Financial Memorandum instructs the ODA to comply with a number of Government documents including The Green BookAppraisal and Evaluation in Central Government published by H.M. Treasury and Government Accounting published by TSO which makes clear the requirement to demonstrate that value for money (VfM) has been achieved. VfM is defined therein as the optimum combination of whole-life cost and quality to meet the user's requirement.
	Specific guidance on whole-life costing is detailed in Achieving Excellence in Construction, Procurement Guide 07, Whole-Life Costing and Cost Management published by the Office of Government Commerce.
	Before projects are approved they are reviewed against a range of established projects and investment criteria including whole-life costs.

Olympics 2012

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library the responses to the Consultation on the Tourism Strategy for the 2012 Olympic games.

Shaun Woodward: I am arranging for copies of the documentation to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Shrewsbury

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to market Shrewsbury as a base for film production.

Shaun Woodward: The UK Film Council promotes the UK as a filming destination by providing information to international filmmakers who have projects for the UK about the range and diversity of locations in the UK.
	The UK Film Council has created nine Regional Screen Agencies for England, each of which promotes their individual region as a film location both nationally and internationally.
	Screen West Midlands (SWM) is the regional screen agency for the West Midlands which covers Shrewsbury. SWM encourages both inward investment and indigenous production and promotes the use of locations, crews and facilities in the West Midlands.

Sport England

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions Sport England has invoked clawback procedures for funding it has provided to projects in the East Midlands region in each of the last five years.

Richard Caborn: Sport England has not invoked clawback procedures for funding it has provided to projects in the East Midlands region during the last five years.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Bournemouth Unitary Authority

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been classified as second homes in Bournemouth unitary authority in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: The number of properties in England designated as second homes in the Bournemouth unitary authority for 2003 to 2005 are shown as follows. Data prior to these are not considered sufficiently robust.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 3,377 
			 2004 2,679 
			 2005 2,491 
		
	
	The data are from a snapshot taken each year and are as recorded on CTB forms submitted by each local authority for council tax purposes.

Electrical Cabling

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of large blocks of flats in which responsibility for common electrical ducting and cabling between substation and individual apartment meterboards lies with the owners or leaseholders.

Yvette Cooper: None. This information is not held centrally.

Planning

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what external monitoring and inspection systems are in place for planning departments.

Yvette Cooper: The Department publishes quarterly statistics on local planning authorities' performance in terms of the time taken to determine planning applications and, together with Government offices, tracks whether or not they are on course to meet our PSA6 (local government's PSA 11) targets by March 2007. Where authorities are identified as at high risk of failing to meet the targets, officials ask the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to offer them tailored support. Where this offer is accepted, the first step is for a PAS consultant to undertake a diagnostic visit.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government officials together with Government offices also monitor performance on the preparation of Local Development Frameworks against the timetables that local authorities have set out in their Local Development Schemes.
	In addition, the Audit Commission undertakes periodic inspections of individual local authorities' planning services where, for example, the Audit Commission's relationship manager considers there is cause for concern.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan; how many he estimates were recruited in  (a) Afghanistan,  (b) Pakistan and  (c) elsewhere; and what assessment he has made of the factors which drive recruitment.

Des Browne: Estimating Taliban numbers and distinguishing between those originating from Pakistan and other countries is difficult. It is the nature of this type of insurgency that numbers fluctuate over time. In some locations Taliban groups will be composed almost entirely of Afghans. In some areas, particularly in border areas, many fighters will originate from Pakistan. Factors motivating insurgents include tribal allegiances, financial reward and religious and political sentiments.

Afghanistan

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments have been earmarked to replace the 42 and 45 Commando in Helmand Province when their tour of duty is completed.

Adam Ingram: The next major routine roulement which will replace 42 and 45 Commando in the Helmand Province is due to take place during April and May next year, details of which are yet to be confirmed. Regiments have been earmarked for deployment as part of the normal planning process and notified where appropriate.
	An announcement regarding the next roulement will be made in due course once the details have been finalised.

Bosnia

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether personnel from his Department have  (a) been posted to and  (b) visited Eagle Base in Tuzla, Bosnia since September 2001.

Adam Ingram: No UK personnel have been posted to Eagle Base in Tuzla, Bosnia, since September 2001. UK personnel, mainly under command of Multi-National Task Force (North West), have visited their counterparts in MNTF(North) at Eagle Base for routine liaison and familiarisation.

Contractor Penalties

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on operating penalties on contractors and suppliers who fail to deliver on contracts due to  (a) quality and  (b) time; if he will list the penalties which were imposed in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence does not include penalty clauses in its contracts as they are not generally enforceable under English or Scottish law.
	Most Ministry of Defence contracts contain express quality provisions and performance criteria, and where appropriate, liquidated damages. The Department has the right to reject goods and services which do not conform to the contract specification and to require the supply of satisfactory replacements. This right is exercised in appropriate circumstances. The failure to achieve a satisfactory supply within the contracted timescales could lead to the MOD invoking liquidated damages provisions or terminating of the contract. We do not keep central records of such actions.

Darfur

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made contingency plans for the UK to provide  (a) troops and  (b) assets should a United Nations force or strengthened African Union force be established in Darfur.

Adam Ingram: At United Nations' (UN) request, the UK currently fills three posts in the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), while separately, at African Union and EU request, we have deployed two specialist officers as advisors to the African Union Mission (AMIS) in Darfur. The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations completed a technical assessment mission earlier this year, which identified how it could strengthen and support AMIS, and has undertaken extensive planning as a result. One UK military planner has been deployed to the UN in New York, in support, throughout this process. The UK has offered a further two military officers to fill key appointments within AMIS, as part of the UN's package of support. They will deploy if and when the force structure and timescales for deployment are confirmed. We keep our contribution to both UNMIS and AMIS under constant review and will consider any future requests for support on a case-by-case basis.

Equipment Complaints

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints have been made about equipment in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in the past 12 months.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1454W, to the hon. Member for North Devon (Nick Harvey).

EU Battlegroups

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what UK forces have been identified as potentially deployable as part of EU battlegroups; and what defence assets have been identified as potentially deployable under the European peacekeeping force.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1876W. There is no standing European Union peacekeeping force. The British military units which will form the EU battlegroups in 2008 and 2010 are yet to be determined.

Far East Prisoners of War

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether claims from far east prisoners of war submitted after 7 July 2005 but before the announcement of the 20-year residence criteria will be reassessed.

Derek Twigg: The position with claims under the ex-gratia payment scheme for former far east prisoners of war and civilian internees submitted after the High Court judgment on 7 July 2005 was set out in my written statement of 17 October,  Official Report, columns 46-47WS.

Future Rapid Effects System

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Treasury about spending on the Future Rapid Effects System programme.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has regular discussions with HM Treasury on a wide range of issues including the Future Rapid Effects System (FRES) programme.

Investment Timetables

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for making the main investment decisions on  (a) the military training system,  (b) defence training review and  (c) aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The timing of MOD investment decisions depends on the maturity of the project. The main investment decisions for these projects will be made as soon as the necessary work is complete.

MAMBA and COBRA

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) MAMBA and  (b) COBRA sets are deployed in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 6 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 811-2W, to the hon. Member for Congleton (Ann Winterton).

Navy Patrols

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels are patrolling the Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf between Iran and Oman; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are currently two Royal Navy vessels on patrol in the Gulf.

Operational Requests

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what process is available to operational commanders to request additional equipment or personnel for deployment in operational theatres.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 20 November 2006
	Operational commanders may request additional equipment or personnel through the chain of command at any time. Where a gap in military capability cannot be met from existing military resources this request would include the generation of an Urgent Statement of User Requirement.

Troop Transportation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the involvement of the private sector in the movement and deployment of British troops.

Adam Ingram: The private sector is already involved in moving British Forces worldwide through a number of long-term commercial airlift contracts. In addition, ad hoc contracts are placed, where necessary, to supplement the RAF Air Transport Force for the movement of troops on exercises and operations. Currently, troops deploying to and from Iraq are moved by commercial aircraft, supplied by a variety of airlines, to Qatar in the middle east, from where they are subsequently transferred to their final destination by RAF aircraft.

Troop Transportation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under whose command  (a) the Royal Air Force movements staff and  (b) operations for deployment of troops are.

Adam Ingram: All RAF movements staff, whether in the UK or deployed abroad, remain under the full command of the Commander in Chief Strike Command. For RAF movements staff in operational theatres, operational command is delegated to the Chief of Joint Operations.
	Command of operations for the deployment of troops rests with the respective Front Line Commands.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Assisted Area Status Map

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account was taken of  (a) employment rates,  (b) the number of incapacity benefit claimants,  (c) Level Two skill rates and  (d) numbers employed in manufacturing in the determination of the draft assisted area status map; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: A description of the use of the four indicators in determining the assisted areas map can be found in Annex F of the document Review of the Assisted AreasThe Government's Response to Stage 2 of the Public Consultation, available in the House of Commons Library and on the DTI website at:
	http://www.dti.gov.uk/regional/assisted-areas/assisted-areas-review/page24618.html
	The detailed data for all Great Britain wards are also available on the DTI website in the document Assisted Areas ReviewWard Level Data, at:
	http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file32641.xls

British Summer Time

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of public attitudes to the adoption of single/double summer time.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The DTI receives a number of representations throughout the year, which reflect the strong divergence of opinion on this issue. This suggests that the present situation is a satisfactory compromise between those who prefer lighter mornings and those who prefer lighter evenings.

British Summer Time

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the adoption of single/double summer time on  (a) emissions of greenhouse gases and  (b) energy consumption in the UK.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Although some have suggested that a move to lighter evenings could potentially save energy, when Portugal experimented with Central European Time their experience was that the move resulted in insignificant savings. Given the other negative impacts of the change, which caused substantial disturbances for their population, Portugal concluded that the experiment was not worth continuing and reverted to Greenwich Mean Time.

Counterfeit Articles

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many counterfeit articles have been seized in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A number of Government and industry bodies are involved in seizing counterfeit and indeed pirated goods on a regular basis. However overall figures for the total numbers seized are not available.
	The Government recognise the importance of tackling intellectual property crime, and launched the National Intellectual Property Crime Strategy in 2004. The Government's Annual Enforcement Report sets out the action taken by a range of bodies, such as trading standards, police, customs and industry to tackle intellectual property crime.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish his Department's gender equality scheme.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930), laid on 10 November 2006, the DTI expects to publish its gender equality scheme by 30 April 2007.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that private organisations contracted to work  (a) in his Department and  (b) for non-Departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are aware of their duties under gender equality legislation when exercising public functions on behalf of public bodies.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To assist the DTI in meeting its general gender equality duty obligations, where contractors provide goods, works or services on our behalf, the Department will refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission's Code of Practice for the Gender Equality Duty, and any other guidance produced.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to carry out gender impact assessments of his Department's major policy developments and new legislation.

Jim Fitzpatrick: From April 2007, the DTI will carry out gender impact assessments on major policy developments and new legislation in line with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No.2930). We will refer to the Equal Opportunities Commission's Code of Practice on the Gender Equality Duty and their specific guidance when available.

Gender Equality

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that  (a) his Department and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies for which he is responsible are taking steps to meet the requirements of the forthcoming duty on public bodies (i) to end unlawful discrimination and harassment and (ii) to promote equality between women and men.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In order to ensure better performance on the gender equality duty, the DTI will be taking the steps outlined in the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Public Authorities) (Statutory Duties) Order 2006 (No. 2930), which should come into force on 6 April 2007.

Holidays

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in ensuring that all workers receive four weeks holiday and rights to all statutory holidays.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In line with their manifesto commitment to make paid time off for bank holidays additional to the annual holiday entitlement, the Government recently held an initial consultation on proposals to increase the statutory holiday entitlement. We are currently considering the large number of responses received before bringing forward draft regulations for further consultation early in the new year.

Internet Governance

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what papers his officials presented at the Internet Governance Forum in Athens; and if he will place those papers in the Library.

Margaret Hodge: DTI officials did not contribute papers to the IGF.

Internet Governance

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who represented him at the Internet Governance Forum in Athens.

Margaret Hodge: The nature of the IGF is to serve as a multi-stakeholder discussion forum to share best practice and improve understanding of the public policy issues associated with the international nature of the internet and to consider how these can be addressed. Governments do not have a pre-eminent role in this forum.
	Two officials from the Europe and International Unit of Business Relations Directorate of DTI took part in the IGF. One also took part in a panel discussion on participation and the other was also a member of the panel discussion on spam.

Post Office Card Accounts

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average cost to his Department was of Post Office card account transactions in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department incurs no costs.

Post Office Card Accounts

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to which budget levies in his Department costs are attributed for each type of transaction processed by sub-post offices involving Post Office card accounts; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department incurs no costs.

Post Office Card Accounts

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department has taken to reduce the costs of post office card account transactions.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The costs of Post Office card account transactions are a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions.

Post Offices

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will commission research into the types of services that can be delivered through the post office network by  (a) central Government,  (b) local government,  (c) private businesses and  (d) the voluntary sector.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Post Office network already provides a variety of services for central and local government, as well as the private and voluntary sectors and Post Office Ltd. continues to pursue new business opportunities.
	The Government continue to work with the company and other Departments on a strategy for the future of the post office network as a matter of priority. We intend, before the end of the year, to launch a national public consultation on the shape and direction of the proposed forward strategy in response to which views will be invited from a wide range of bodies including local government organisations, private businesses and the voluntary sector.

Post Offices

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to consult postmasters in developing the rationalisation of post offices.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Department of Trade and Industry Ministers have regular contact with representatives of the National Federation of Sub-postmasters. Sub-postmasters will have the opportunity in due course to respond collectively and individually to the planned public consultation on the Government's proposed forward strategy for the post office network.

Post Offices

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to encourage local authorities to use the post office network to help deliver services.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Ltd. currently delivers a number of services for local authorities such as payments of council tax, council housing rent and business rates. Post Office Ltd. is looking to discuss with the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Local Government Association what further local services might be delivered through the network.

Post Offices

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post office branches were closed in County Durham between  (a) 1997 and 2006,  (b) 2001 and 2006 and  (c) 2004 and 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Post Office Limited (POL) has provided the following figures relating to the numbers of post office branches in the constituencies that make up County Durham.
	
		
			   Number of open post office branches 
			 2001-02 214 
			 2002-03 212 
			 2003-04 202 
			 2004-05 186 
			 2005-06 186

Retirement Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence he examined from other countries when developing his Department's policy on a compulsory retirement age; and if he will list the countries concerned.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 93-94W. During the development of the policy on retirement age, we looked at how other member states were developing their legislation, as well as the position in countries that had already established age discrimination provisions. These included Australia, United States, Finland, Italy, Austria, Canada, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Ireland. However, we have developed legislation that takes into account our own particular domestic and economic circumstances.

NORTHERN IRELAND

NHS Psychologists

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the number of psychologists to be employed in the NHS in the Province over the next three years.

Paul Goggins: Since 2001 the number of clinical psychologists working in Health and Social Service Trusts has increased from 98 to 150. My Department currently funds 11 training places each year.

Knife Crime

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to tackle knife crime in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The Government are committed to reducing knife crime. Among measures taken are the Violent Crime Reduction Act, a major knife amnesty, and a public information campaign. We are now consulting on further improvement in knife law in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Economy

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent performance of the Northern Ireland economy.

Maria Eagle: The Northern Ireland economy is performing well thanks to the longest period of economic stability and growth. Employment is up and unemployment has more than halved in the past decade. Competitiveness in the last year has improved faster than any other UK region. However, significant challenges remain, most notably raising Northern Ireland's productivity and reducing the high levels of economic inactivity.

Local Democracy

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland What recent discussions have taken place with representatives of local government on strengthening local democracy in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: I meet with elected representatives from local government on a regular basis. The Review of Public Administration will strengthen and improve local democracy by greatly enhancing the powers and responsibility of directly elected local councillors.

Police Service of Northern Ireland

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards securing the support of political parties in Northern Ireland for the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Peter Hain: The Northern Ireland (St. Andrew's Agreement) Bill, which was introduced to this House on 16 November, incorporates four new commitments that are required of Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive as conditions of office, one of which is to uphold the rule of law, including by supporting policing and the courts as set out in paragraph 6 of the St. Andrew's Agreement.

Domestic Violence

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to reduce domestic violence in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: I have launched the Northern Ireland Regional Strategy and accompanying Action Plan Tackling Violence at Home which aims to improve services and support to all victims of domestic violence, and to hold perpetrators/abusers accountable for their behaviour.

New Teachers (Employment)

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of students graduating from teacher training in Northern Ireland were able to obtain full-time jobs as teachers in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: Of those students gaining initial teacher training qualifications at Northern Ireland higher education institutions in 2001-02, 83.4 per cent. of those returning destination information were employed as full-time teachers six months after graduation. In 2002-03 the figure was 77.7 per cent., in 2003-04 73.7 per cent. and in 2004-05 62.6 per cent. were employed as full time teachers.

Security Assessment

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland (St. Andrews Agreement) Bill, which was debated in this House last night, gives effect to that Agreement and builds on the Northern Ireland Act 2006, in particular by creating a Transitional Assembly and by setting out the arrangements to facilitate a return to devolved government on 26 March.

St. Andrews Agreement

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland If he will make a statement on the implementation of the St. Andrews agreement.

Peter Hain: Despite recent Dissident Republican activity, it is clear that the security situation in Northern Ireland is vastly improved. I am confident in the ability of the PSNI to bring to justice those who would seek to undermine peace in Northern Ireland.

Accident and Emergency Control Centre

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether  (a) the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and  (b) the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety plans to move the accident and emergency back-up control centre at Altnagelvin hospital to Belfast.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety have no plans to remove the accident and emergency back-up control centre from Altnagelvin hospital.

Correspondence

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will reply to the letter dated 25 September 2006 from the hon. Member for North Down on the recovery of holiday health care costs.

Paul Goggins: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Lady's letter dated 25 September 2006. My reply has now been issued.

Departmental Press/Public Relations

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education in  (a) press,  (b) public relations and  (c) communications work in (i) 2003-04, (ii) 2004-05 and (iii) 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The following number of full-time equivalent staff were employed in press, public relations and communications work in the Northern Ireland Department of Education:
	
		
			   Date  Number 
			  (a) At 31 March 2004 (1)10.3 
			  (b) At 31 March 2005 (2)9.3 
			  (c) At 31 March 2006 (3)7.7 
			 (1) With an additional 0.5 vacant post. (2) With an additional 2 vacant posts. (3) With an additional 2 vacant posts.

Departmental Statistics

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which statistics have been put forward by his Department for consideration to become new national statistics in each of the last five years; and how many statistics sets his Department has produced in total in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: The titles of each of the statistical products put forward each year by Northern Ireland Departments for designation as 'National Statistics'all of which were accepted as suchare shown as follows.
	 2001-02
	International Student Assessment: Result for Northern Ireland 2000
	 2004-05
	Northern Ireland Household Projections
	 2006-07
	Migrant Workers Statistics for Northern Ireland
	The number and the titles of statistical products published by staff in Northern Ireland Departments who work for the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency varies little year by year. The Framework for National Statistics published in June 2000 included a summary list of all the statistics in each Department that were to be handled in accordance with the new arrangements. In 2005-06 the Office for National Statistics published an up-to-date list on the National Statistics website. That list included the following number of titles from Northern Ireland Departments:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Number of National Statistics titles 99 
			 Number of non-National Statistics titles 41 
		
	
	Northern Ireland Departments produce extensive numerical information, in a variety of forms. As information on the number of these is not held centrally and as there is no agreed definition for the term 'statistical sets' referred to in this PQ, it is not possible to provide the information in the form requested.

Education Funding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria he will use to decide how much to allocate to individual schools in Northern Ireland under the extended schools element of the children and young people funding package in the academic year 2006-07.

Maria Eagle: Funding is based on financial years rather than academic years. The formula used to calculate allocations in 2006-07 financial year is based on an amount per pupil calculated as follows:
	A block allocation to every school of 3,000;
	A sliding scale whereby:
	the first 100 pupils are funded at 100 each
	the next 100 at 75 each
	the next 100 at 50 each
	the next 150 at 25 each
	the next 100 at 20 each
	all remaining pupils at 10 each
	Enrolments have been taken form the October 2005 School Census and part-time pupils are counted as 0.5.

Education Funding

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  whether the element of the children and young people funding package intended for counselling, speech and language therapy and educational psychology will be distributed through payments to school heads in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much of the children and young people funding package for  (a) the academic year 2006-07 and  (b) future academic years he has allocated to (i) counselling, (ii) speech and language therapy and (iii) educational psychology.

Maria Eagle: Funding from the Children and Young People Funding Package (CYPFP) for these purposes is not distributed directly to schools, and is allocated on a financial year basis, rather than in academic years.
	The CYPFP is providing for a counselling service to be delivered to schools. The allocations are 1.65 million in financial year 2006-07 and 1.8 million in 2007-08. The contract for delivering an independent counselling service was recently awarded to Contact Youth, a NI voluntary youth organisation. Payments for the delivery of the service will be to Contact Youth in respect of sessions delivered in post primary schools.
	4 million from the Children and Young People's Funding Package was allocated to each of the four Health and Social Services Boards in 2006-07 and they have established nine multi-disciplinary teams to work in schools and other early years settings. In meeting the needs of their populations the boards are employing 15 additional speech and language therapists to work in the teams throughout Northern Ireland and they will work in collaboration with existing services. A further 4 million is available in 2007-08.
	Funding from the CYPFP is not being used to deliver additional educational psychology services.
	Funding allocations beyond March 2008 have not yet been agreed and will be decided at the outcome of the comprehensive spending review 2007, which is currently underway. It is not possible to give a firm commitment to funding for any programme beyond 2007-08 until the CSR is completed and baselines are set.

International Baccalaureate

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils in Northern Ireland took the International Baccalaureate in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: No pupils have taken the International Baccalaureate in Northern Ireland in the last five years.

Malone Conservation Area

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to prevent the erosion of the character of the Malone Conservation Area from inappropriate development.

David Cairns: In line with the provisions of the 1991 Planning Order, my Department, in discharging its planning functions within the Malone Conservation Area, pays special attention to the desirability of preserving or enhancing its character or appearance.
	All development proposals are assessed against published regional planning policy, in particular Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 6 'Planning, Archaeology and the Built Heritage' and PPS 7 'Quality Residential Environments'. These regional policies are supplemented by guidance set out in the Malone Conservation Area Draft Character Appraisal, the contents of which have recently been afforded substantial weight in the decision-making process by an Interim Statement published in August 2006.
	Additional policy for development affecting the Malone area is proposed in the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan which is currently the subject of a public inquiry by the Planning Appeals Commission on behalf of my Department.

Stranmillis Road Sewers

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how regularly inspections are made of the Stranmillis Road sewers to ensure prevention of blockages.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Mrs Katharine Bryan, dated 22 November 2006:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how regularly inspections are made of the Stranmillis Road sewers to ensure prevention of blockages (10811). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	The combined foul and storm sewerage system serving Stranmillis Road is inspected by Water Service on a monthly basis. In addition to these routine planned inspections, Water Service responds to any reported incidents of blockages and aims to remedy them in accordance with the timescales set out in its Customer Charter.

Volunteering

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department is taking to encourage volunteering in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: The Department for Social Development supports volunteering policy and practice in a number of ways. It provides core funding to the Volunteer Development Agency as a regional infrastructure organisation to promote and support volunteering practice. It also invests over 1.1 million per year under the Volunteer Bureau Initiative to improve the local organisation and infrastructure of volunteering by providing core funding to a network of 15 volunteer centres across Northern Ireland.
	The key activities of the volunteer centres are to promote volunteering and good practice, to recruit volunteers, to identify volunteering opportunities with local organisations and place volunteers with these organisations.
	The Department also encourages volunteering through the Community Volunteering Scheme (CVS). CVS provides 3 million over three years (2006-2009) through a grants programme with the following objectives:
	to encourage and support volunteering;
	create and enhance opportunities for volunteers that will encourage learning and good practice; and
	promote diversity and a positive image of volunteering and community participation.
	The CVS programme is administered by the Volunteer Development Agency on behalf of the Department. Earlier this year CVS main grants totalling 2.2 million over three years were awarded to 27 organisations. The projects funded cover a range of issues including young people, the elderly, health and the environment, across Northern Ireland. A further 0.7 million is also available from the CVS small grants. Grants of up to 1,000 are available to locally based organisations to help promote volunteering and voluntary involvement.
	In partnership with a number of volunteer involving organisations and agencies, the Department for Social Development has commenced work on the development of a new volunteering strategy for Northern Ireland. The aims of the strategy are to create an inclusive volunteering environment, to improve the volunteering experience and nurture positive attitudes to volunteering, to promote the value and benefits of volunteering to society and to strengthen volunteer involving organisations and the volunteering infrastructure.
	The Department for Social Development has also taken a positive approach to encouraging volunteering across Government Departments, through employer supported volunteering, and by its own staff. It promotes the voluntary and charitable work of staff in its staff communications and it has an employer supported volunteering scheme which facilitates the involvement of its staff in voluntary work.

Volunteering

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of how many people are involved in volunteering in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: Exact figures for the numbers of volunteers are difficult to establish because the figures available are based on extrapolations from surveys of the public or voluntary and community sector organisations.
	In 2001 DSD commissioned the Volunteer Development Agency to produce an omnibus survey about the nature and extent of volunteering in Northern Ireland. In 2001 the survey estimated that there were 448,116 formal volunteers (aged 16+ ) in Northern Ireland. The survey also estimated that there were 759,000 people involved in informal volunteering.
	A new survey has been funded by DSD and commissioned by the Volunteer Development Agency in 2006. The results are due in February 2007.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Carbon Emissions

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  on what basis payments to the carbon off-setting fund in respect of official air travel are calculated; and whether the payments are met by Government Departments;
	(2)  how much is paid into the Government carbon offsetting fund in respect of air travel by  (a) business and  (b) economy class for the same journey; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what the value of the Government's carbon off-setting fund is; what estimate he has made of the income for the fund in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and to what purpose the funds are to be put.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 22 November 2006
	An initial assessment of departmental aviation emissions was carried out using air travel data from 2005-06 and the conversion factors published in DEFRA's 'Guidelines for Company Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions'. These factors are currently 0.11 kg CO2 per passenger kilometre for long-haul travel, and 0.15 kg CO2 per passenger kilometre for short-haul. For the purposes of the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund, a multiplier of x2 has been applied to the estimated totals to take into account the additional climate impact of non-CO2 emissions at altitude. The calculations do not differentiate between economy and business class travel due to the minimal difference in emissions involved and the difficulty of accurately accounting for total passenger numbers on individual flights.
	To apply an offsetting cost figure to Departments, these initial assessment emissions totals were multiplied by 10. This is based upon the agreed price per tonne of CO2 in relation to offsetting the UK's G8 presidency.
	The actual cost per tonne to be paid will depend on the offsetting fund procurement process, which is due to conclude at the start of December. Initial assessment emissions figures will be updated using actual departmental air travel data for 2006-07. Final calculations of CO2 tonnage and associated offsetting costs will be carried out in April 2007.
	Each Department, except for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which operate their own schemes, will pay the amount owed for its emissions into the central Government Carbon Offsetting Fund.
	Proceeds from the fund will be used to purchase Certified Emission Reduction credits from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that are based in developing countries and accredited under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Clean Development Mechanism.
	The fund will seek to offset around 300,000 tonnes of CO2 by mid-2009.

Circuses

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Circus Working Group is expected to report; and how its terms of reference were agreed.

Ben Bradshaw: The Circus Working Group is due to submit a report in the spring of 2007. The group's terms of reference are derived directly from my statement to the House on 8 March 2006,  Official Report, column 61WS.
	Further information about the group's work is available on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/bill/circus_wg.htm.

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing in full each of the provisions of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005; what powers local authorities have to raise money to implement the provisions of the bill; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) published in July 2004 concluded that, taken as a whole, the measures introduced in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 do not involve significant additional costs for local authorities. Indeed, the RIA concluded they could well lead to overall savings in local authority costs through increased efficiency and effective, well publicised enforcement.
	Local authorities themselves asked for these new powers to combat the minority who continue to fly-tip, drop litter and behave in an antisocial manner and the Government has now provided them.
	Local authorities have indicated that they welcome the use of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) and recognise their value as an enforcement tool as an alternative to prosecution. In most cases, local authorities have the flexibility to set their own fixed penalty rates and, since November 2003, they have been able to retain receipts from FPNs issued for local environmental crimes. Most local authorities must re-direct this money into their street cleansing service, although those awarded an 'excellent' or 'good' rating are free to use the penalty receipts as they wish.

Energy Conservation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures is he putting in place to ensure that appropriate advice is available to individual households that wish to introduce energy efficiency or renewable energy measures.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 9 October 2006,  Official Report, column 231W and 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 276W.

Estuary Management

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of  (a) the effectiveness of the work of the Dart Estuary Environment Management Partnership and  (b) the contribution made by the Cycleau Project to estuary management in each of the last three years;
	(2)  if he will finance the continuation of the Dart Estuary Environment Management Partnership by making available funds for the Dart Harbour Navigation Authority;
	(3)  what plan he has for the Dart Estuary Environment Management Partnership following the cessation of the Objective 2 Cycleau Project.

Ian Pearson: The responsibility for assessing the effectiveness of the work of the Dart Estuary Environment Management (DEEM) Partnership lies with the partnership's steering group. The good work the partnership has achieved for the local environment, through its participation in the Cycleau Project, has recently been recognised by its partners and supporters, who wish to see that work continue in the future.
	In June 2006, DEFRA conducted a consultation on how we might promote a more integrated approach to coastal management in England. This consultation questioned how coastal and estuary partnerships are functioning and how they might be supported. The responses to the consultation are currently being reviewed.
	Government policy is that ports are not eligible for public funding, on the grounds that subsidy is likely to cause market distortion in an otherwise free sector. The Dart Harbour Navigation Authority is a trust port and obtains its funding by way of charges levied on its users. It has a duty to use funds for the benefit of the management of the harbour, which can include participating in a voluntary partnership to help manage the estuary.
	The DEEM Partnership was formed to implement the DEEM Plan, which is non-statutory. It is for the local partners to decide whether to continue voluntary financial contributions after December 2006 when Cycleau comes to an end. The South West Region of the Environment Agency has decided to continue to fund estuary partnerships where affordable, and it has recently agreed to provide funding for the River Dart for another year while it reviews the future of DEEM with the other local partners.

Flood Defences

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with the Chancellor of the Exchequer the provision of funding for the Environment Agency to implement flood defences in Shrewsbury.

Ian Pearson: Overall DEFRA funding up to 2007-08 was set by Her Majesty's Treasury in the 2004 Spending Review. Funding for national flood and coastal erosion risk management after 2007-08 will be considered as part of the Government's 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, as will the level of the Department's spend across all areas.

Flood Defences

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on flood defences in each year since 2001.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 20 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1506W.

Flood Defences

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to strengthen the shore line to prevent further erosion at Hengistbury Head in Bournemouth.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA has overall policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England, funds most of the Environment Agency's flood related work and grant aids individual capital improvement projects undertaken by local authorities and internal drainage boards. The programme to manage risk is driven by these operating authorities; DEFRA does not carry out works, nor direct the authorities on which specific projects to undertake.
	Bournemouth borough council are the coast protection authority responsible for Hengistbury Head and they have been monitoring coastal erosion at this location. DEFRA grant aided beach replenishment operations by the council along this stretch of the coast earlier this year. The council will consider options for Hengistbury Head in the longer term in their review of the Hurst Spit to Durlston Head Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). This review will allow the risk of erosion and options for managing it to be investigated, and it will include consultation with those affected in accordance with DEFRA published guidance on SMP revision.
	In view of public concerns about the potential impact of a breach at Hengistbury Head on flood risk to Christchurch, the Environment Agency are investigating this further. The draft consultants report is currently being reviewed.

Fuel Tax

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a reduction in the tax levy on ethanol.

Ian Pearson: DEFRA and Treasury Ministers have frequent discussions on a wide range of issues.
	The Government are currently promoting the production of bioethanol and biodiesel through a 20 pence per litre duty incentive. In addition, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will require 5 per cent. of all UK fuel sales to come from renewable sources by 2010.

Pet Fairs

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to bring forward new regulations on pet fairs.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government proposes to introduce secondary legislation regulating pet fairs, to be made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, in 2008.

Sheep Dip

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he expects research project VM02126 to be completed on time.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 November 2006
	The research project entitled A case-controlled study of neuropsychological and psychiatric functioning in sheep farmers exposed to organophosphate pesticides was commissioned in two parts, with University College London.
	VM02126 was the recruitment phase of the work and this was completed in January 2006.
	The second phase of the project (VM02302), to gather and analyse data, started in February 2006. In the project proposal the contractors stated that they intended to study three groups of farmers. In the event, the contractor was unable to identify one of the proposed groups originally envisaged to act as the controls for the project; these individuals were the sheep farmers who had retired on the grounds of ill health but had never dipped sheep. As an alternative, the contractor proposed to study members of the police as a substitute control group. Given the profound nature of the change to design of the project, advice on the scientific validity of including the police force as a control groups was sought from the Medical and Scientific Panel.
	This advice is currently being considered and a decision on the future of the project will be made shortly.

Sheep Dip

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of sheep were treated with organophosphate sheep dip in each year since 1976.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 November 2006
	The Government do not hold these figures.

Sheep Dip

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to make a decision on  (a) banning and  (b) lifting the suspension on cypermethrin sheep dip.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 November 2006
	The Marketing Authorisations for the three cypermethrin dip products were suspended on 21 February 2006 following reports of serious environmental pollution arising from the routine use of the products. The Environment Agency had prosecuted ten farmers for polluting waters courses with cypermethrin dip. As a consequence the Government suspended the products as a precautionary measure.
	The Veterinary Medicines Directorate and the Environment Agency have jointly set up a stakeholder group to take forward a Pollution Reduction Programme for sheep dips. The first meeting of the stakeholder group took place on 21 August. The key elements of the programme are four actions aimed at reducing the risk of pollution caused by dipping sheep. The actions include:
	1. Raising farmers' awareness of the environmental risks associated with the use of sheep dip products. The NFU has launched the Stop every drop campaign in England and Wales as a part of this action. In Scotland similar messages are being developed.
	2. An analysis to identify the most appropriate response to the risks and impacts associated with the use of sheep dips and cypermethrin in particular.
	3. Targeted risk-based monitoring of rivers and streams for pollution in England and Wales.
	4. Research to provide further advice on the associated risks. This includes a joint EA/VMD research project looking at the possible pathways for sheep dip into the environment around the farm.
	Further data on how these dips can be used in an environmentally sustainable way have also been requested from the product Marketing Authorisation holders.
	When all of this information has been received, we will be able to review the suspension of the sheep dip marketing authorisations and consider whether the products can be allowed back on to the market.

Sheep Dip

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidelines  (a) he and  (b) his Department have received from the European Commission regarding the (i) health and (ii) environmental impact of using (A) organophosphates and (B) cypermethrin in sheep dips.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 November 2006
	The authorisation of veterinary medicines in the UK is regulated by European Commission Directive 2001/82/EC (as amended). The directive provides a harmonised framework for the authorisation of veterinary medicines throughout the European Union. All veterinary medicines must satisfy the required criteria of quality, safety and efficacy before they are granted a marketing authorisation. While the directive provides the framework by which veterinary medicines are authorised detailed guidelines have been issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use (CVMP) to cover in more detail the requirements for quality, safety and efficacy. Guidelines on how to carry out a risk assessment for the user of the product, the consumer and the environment have all been issued by the CVMP and are followed by the UK licensing authority. These guidelines are available on the European Medicines Agency's website at:
	www.emea.europa.eu.

HEALTH

Clifford Ayling

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to consider the written submission of evidence by Clifford Ayling presented on 27 October 2006 in response to the report of the Committee of Inquiry independent investigation into how the NHS handled allegations about the conduct of Clifford Ayling.

Andy Burnham: The Government will shortly be publishing a joint response to the recommendations of the Ayling Inquiry and to the recommendations of the Shipman Inquiry's fifth report, the Neale Inquiry and the Kerr-Haslam Inquiry. In preparing this response the Department will be considering the evidence submitted on behalf of Dr Ayling on 27 October, to the extent that it is relevant to the question of possible improvements in the procedures which national health service organisations should follow on receiving concerns or complaints about the conduct of health service professionals.

Delayed Discharges

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were from hospitals in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area in each of the last six months for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: The following table shows the number of delayed transfers of care from acute beds at Mid Essex Hospitals Services National Health Service Trust.
	
		
			  Month  Delayed transfers of care 
			 May 8 
			 June 10 
			 July 6 
			 August 21 
			 September 7 
			 October 5 
			  Note: Numbers of delayed transfers of care are collected as a snapshot at midnight Thursday each week. These data are for the final week in each of the last six months.  Source: Department of Health SitReps

Hepatitis C Action Plan

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans are in place to monitor progress on the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England, published in July 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Implementation of the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England is being monitored in a variety of ways including:
	Epidemiological surveillance by the Health Protection Agency, including of the national outcome indicators in the Hepatitis C Strategy for England, and publication of an annual report on hepatitis C, the first of which was published in December 2005;
	Research into hepatitis C awareness of general practitioners and practice nurses and the public;
	Monitoring by the National Treatment Agency for substance misuse of hepatitis C testing of injecting drug users, a national audit of needle exchange services and development of a national monitoring system of the movement of injecting equipment through needle exchange services;
	Local monitoring and performance management by national health service organisations.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking in order to meet the World Health Organisation's target of vaccinating 75 per cent. of at-risk groups against seasonal influenza.

Caroline Flint: In 2003, the World Health Assembly urged member states to aim at vaccination coverage of elderly people of at least 50 per cent. by 2006 and 75 per cent. by 2010. This target was achieved in 2005-06 when uptake in those aged 65 and over reached 75.3 per cent.

Macular Degeneration

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether laser treatment is available on the NHS to treat wet macular degeneration;
	(2)  whether tests to diagnose macular degeneration are carried out as part of the routine NHS eye test.

Rosie Winterton: When a doctor or optician tests an individual's sight, they have a duty to perform such examinations as may be necessary to allow them to detect signs of injury, disease or abnormality. The doctor or optician then has to give the patient a written statement to indicate whether or not they are referring the patient to a doctor for further investigation or treatment. These rules apply to sight tests whether provided privately or under general ophthalmic services arrangements within the national health service.
	Some people with wet age-related macular degeneration may be suitable for photodynamic therapy. This involves the use of a photosensitive dye which, when activated in the back of the eye by a low energy laser beam, closes abnormal retinal blood vessels.
	Photodynamic therapy treatment is available on the NHS for patients with both the wholly classic and predominantly classic forms of age-related macular degeneration.

Macular Degeneration

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people in England have wet age-related macular degeneration;
	(2)  what NHS funded treatments are available for treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of people with age related macular degeneration is not collected centrally. A study sponsored by the Macular Disease Society in 2001 estimated that in the UK there were 182,000 people with age-related macular degeneration with a best eye visual acuity below that judged appropriate for certification as blind or partially sighted.
	Photodynamic therapy treatment is available on the national health service for patients with both the wholly classic and predominantly classic forms of age-related macular degeneration. Photodynamic therapy involves the use of a photosensitive dye which, when activated in the back of the eye by a low energy laser beam, closes abnormal retinal blood vessels.

Macular Degeneration

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure patients have access to the drugs  (a) Macugen and  (b) Lucentis for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Rosie Winterton: Lucentis is under assessment by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and is currently not approved for marketing in the European Union. Macugen already has approval for marketing in the European Union.
	The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently carrying out an appraisal of Macugen and Lucentis for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration and final guidance is due to be published in August 2007. NICE'S appraisal will take into account the outcome of the EMEA's assessment of Lucentis.
	Where guidance from NICE is not yet available, primary care trusts are expected to apply local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies. These arrangements should include an assessment of the available evidence.

NHS Blood Products

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health why haemophiliacs with hepatitis C virus contracted through blood transfusions in the last 25 years have been paid less per person in compensation than those with HIV.

Caroline Flint: Unlike the Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts, which administer schemes for those infected with HIV, the ex gratia payment scheme for those infected with hepatitis C as a result of national health service treatment with blood or blood products, known as the Skipton Fund, is not a charitable trust.
	The Skipton Fund has been designed to make lump sum, ex gratia payments to those living with the hepatitis C virus. The payments are not compensation.

Non-UK Nationals (NHS Care)

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was invoiced by the NHS to other countries in the European Union for services received by those countries' citizens in the UK in the last financial period for which figures are available, broken down by country; and what payments  (a) have been received and  (b) are still outstanding.

Rosie Winterton: The following table shows, in resource terms, the estimated costs of treatment provided by the national health service to persons insured in other European Economic Area (EEA) member states under the terms of Regulations (EEC) 1408/71 and 574/72, and which the United Kingdom (UK) would reclaim from the states concerned. These are estimated claims in according with existing arrangements under the Regulation 574/72. During 2005-06, the UK settled 56.7 million claims for the treatment provided up to March 2006 by the NHS.
	
		
			  Estimated claims against other EEA member states: 2005-06 
			  Country  000 
			 Austria 474 
			 Belgium 2,182 
			 France 3,312 
			 Germany 16 
			 Greece 807 
			 Iceland 9 
			 Ireland 20,742 
			 Italy 4,034 
			 Netherlands 1,699 
			 Portugal 3 
			 Spain 815 
			 Sweden 773 
			  Notes: 1. The information is compiled in line with the requirements of Government Accounting 2000 and National Audit Office (NAO) and used for resource accounting and budging purpose during 2005-06. 2. Figures are in thousands and rounded to the nearest thousand. 3. Claims against new member states would be included in future years. 4. We have a waiver arrangement with a number of member states which means they have agreed to bear the costs of each other insured persons.

Primary Care

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the likely outturn cost to the public purse of the reconfiguration of primary care in Cambridgeshire in the financial year 2006-07; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The costs of the changes that were announced on 16 May will depend on a number of factors, including the location and staffing of new organisations. These issues are still under consideration and it is not possible at present to forecast final costs.
	Commissioning a patient-led national health service is designed to deliver 250 million recurring savings from administration costs through streamlining for reinvestment in frontline services. The savings are expected to be realised by the end of 2007 and then every year for reinvestment beginning in 2008-09.

Smoking

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given to health trusts about patients smoking in day care facilities for mental health; and whether the guidance includes circumstances in which patients may be permitted to smoke.

Caroline Flint: The Health Development Agency (now part of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) published Guidance for Smokefree Hospital Trusts in January 2005. The guidance includes discussion of the issues specific to mental health trusts. It sets out that special arrangements may have to be made to permit a patient to smoke on a trust site. It confirms that where an exception has been made to a trust's smokefree policy,
	every effort must be made to minimise staff exposure to smoke. This would normally mean that smoking would only be permitted outdoors where staff and other patients would not be in close proximity to the smoker.
	A copy is available in the Library.

Waiting Times

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for  (a) routine and  (b) urgent bone scans is in each NHS Trust.

Andy Burnham: The waiting times for bone scans are not available split by routine and urgent tests. The latest figures on waits for DEXA scans are published monthly and the table contains the figures for September 2006.
	
		
			  Waiting times for DEXA scans by NHS trust, September 2006 
			  SHA code  Org code  Org name  Total Waiting  Number waiting over 13 weeks  Number waiting over 26 weeks  Median wait (weeks 
			 Q30 5J8 Durham Dales PCT 30 0 0 2.5 
			 Q30 RE9 South Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust 117 0 0 5.7 
			 Q30 RLN City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust 210 0 0 3.3 
			 Q30 RTD The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust 81 0 0 1.0 
			 Q30 RTF Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust 86 0 0 1.8 
			 Q30 RVW North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals 130 8 1 5.6 
			 Q30 RXP NHS Trust 78 0 0 1.2 
			 Q31 RBL Wirral Hospital NHS Trust 271 1 0 4.2 
			 Q31 REM Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 62 0 0 0.8 
			 Q31 REP Liverpool Women's Hospital NHS Trust 444 0 0 5.6 
			 Q31 RNL North Cumbria Acute NHS Trust Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University 498 1 0 4.5 
			 Q31 RQ6 Hospitals NHS Trust 871 290 0 9.7 
			 Q31 RRF Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust 85 22 0 6.4 
			 Q31 RTX Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust 312 41 28 3.4 
			 Q31 RVY Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust 95 0 0 2.7 
			 Q31 RW6 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 26 0 0 1.5 
			 Q31 RWJ Stockport Health Services NHS Trust 79 2 0 2.6 
			 Q31 RXL Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust 97 2 0 0.6 
			 Q32 RAE Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust 366 13 0 4.4 
			 Q32 RGB York Health Services NHS Trust Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare 41 2 0 1.8 
			 Q32 RCC NHS Trust 157 0 0 6.2 
			 Q32 RCD Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust 123 0 0 3.5 
			 Q32 RCU Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Trust 18 0 0 4.8 
			 Q32 RHQ Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS 1501 45 11 3.7 
			 Q32 RJL Trust 97 0 0 2.4 
			 Q32 RP5 Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust 93 0 0 7.5 
			 Q32 RR8 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 112 0 0 1.7 
			 Q32 RWA Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 172 0 0 2.4 
			 Q32 RWY Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust 58 0 0 2.5 
			 Q33 SAM Mansfield District PCT Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital 56 0 0 2.2 
			 Q33 RFS NHS Trust 246 3 0 4.5 
			 Q33 RNS Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust 31 0 0 1.2 
			 Q33 RTG Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 140 0 0 1.7 
			 Q33 RWD United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust 462 163 41 7.8 
			 Q33 RWE University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 145 0 0 2.3 
			 Q33 RX1 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 223 4 2 2.9 
			 Q34 5ME North Stoke PCT 388 6 1 6.2 
			 Q34 RJD Mid-Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust 310 11 0 7.2 
			 Q34 RJF Burton Hospitals NHS Trust 67 4 1 4.8 
			 Q34 RJH Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire 87 0 0 2.9 
			 Q34 RKB NHS Trust Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and 257 2 0 2.1 
			 Q34 RL1 District Hospital NHS Trust 533 1 0 2.4 
			 Q34 RL4 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 65 0 0 1.6 
			 Q34 RQ3 Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Trust Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals NHS 8 0 0 n/a 
			 Q34 RR1 Trust 158 16 8 3.7 
			 Q34 RRK University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust 469 0 0 6.5 
			 Q34 RWP Worcestershire Acute Hospital NHS Trust Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS 180 1 0 3.3 
			 Q34 RXK Trust 48 6 0 1.7 
			 Q35 RAJ Southend Hospital NHS Trust 144 0 0 2.2 
			 Q35 RC1 Bedford Hospital NHS Trust 227 1 0 7.3 
			 Q35 RC9 Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust 383 122 0 9.2 
			 Q35 RDD Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust 59 0 0 6.6 
			 Q35 RGN Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust 231 3 0 3.7 
			 Q35 RGP James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust 29 0 0 0.8 
			 Q35 RGQ Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation 7 0 0 n/a 
			 Q35 RGT Trust 680 6 0 4.1 
			 Q35 RM1 Norfolk and Norwich Healthcare NHS Trust 307 3 0 2.9 
			 Q35 RQ8 Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 17 1 0 3.0 
			 Q35 RWG West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 27 0 0 3.6 
			 Q35 RWH East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 520 11 0 3.3 
			 Q36 5C5 Newham PCT 28 0 0 3.3 
			 Q36 RAL Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 613 0 0 5.5 
			 Q36 RAN (London) 456 124 34 3.9 
			 Q36 RAX Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 2 0 0 n/a 
			   Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS 
			 Q36 RF4 Trust 369 47 15 3.5 
			 Q36 RG2 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 264 0 0 2.8 
			 Q36 RG3 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 3 0 0 n/a 
			 Q36 RGC Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 313 0 0 3.5 
			 Q36 RJ1 Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust 518 46 0 1.2 
			 Q36 RJ5 St Mary's NHS Trust 103 7 0 7.3 
			 Q36 RJ6 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 720 186 2 8.3 
			 Q36 RJ7 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 354 19 4 6.3 
			 Q36 RNH Newham Healthcare NHS Trust 53 0 0 2.0 
			 Q36 RNJ Barts and the London NHS Trust Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS 314 28 0 6.0 
			 Q36 RP4 Trust 2 0 0 n/a 
			 Q36 RQM Chelsea and Westminster Healthcare NHS Trust 97 0 0 1.0 
			 Q36 RQN Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust 22 0 0 1.2 
			 Q36 RV8 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 1,990 1,269 442 17.4 
			 Q37 5L9 Western Sussex PCT 50 0 0 1.7 
			 Q37 RDU Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust 159 1 0 1.7 
			 Q37 RN7 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust 18 0 0 5.5 
			 Q37 RPA Medway NHS Trust 157 1 0 4.9 
			 Q37 RPL Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust 109 5 0 3.5 
			 Q37 RTK Ashford and St Peters' Hospitals NHS Trust 627 9 0 6.0 
			 Q37 RW East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust 348 0 0 2.6 
			 Q37 RWF Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 165 9 0 2.1 
			 Q38 RBF Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS 176 5 0 1.9 
			 Q38 RD7 Trust 31 0 0 1.5 
			 Q38 RHM Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 403 0 0 3.0 
			 Q38 RHU Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 246 0 0 3.4 
			 Q38 RHW Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospital NHS Trust 151 14 0 5.7 
			 Q38 RN1 Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust 45 0 0 2.3 
			 Q38 RXQ Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 277 60 1 7.7 
			 Q39 RA7 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust 310 75 7 7.3 
			 Q39 RA9 South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust 80 0 0 3.1 
			 Q39 RBA Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases 203 0 0 2.3 
			 Q39 RBB NHS Trust 220 11 0 4.2 
			   Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals 
			 Q39 RDZ NHS Trust 311 0 0 2.7 
			 Q39 REF Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust 1,642 1,438 1,243 52.0 
			 Q39 RH8 Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust 190 3 0 1.7 
			 Q39 RK9 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 209 2 0 4.5 
			 Q39 RN3 Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust 43 0 0 1.4 
			 Q39 RTE Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust 109 0 0 3.5 
			  Note: Median waits not calculated where waiting list is less than 10.  Source:  DM01

Waiting Times

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people were waiting for  (a) in-hospital treatment and  (b) out patient appointments in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area in each of the last six months for which figures are available.;
	(2)  how many people had been waiting  (a) more than six months for in hospital treatment and  (b) more than 13 weeks for an out patient appointment in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area in each of the last six months for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: The table shows the number of patients waiting more than six months for in-patient treatment and more than 13 weeks for outpatient appointments at Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust. The table also shows the total number of patients waiting for inpatient and out-patient treatment at the trust.
	
		
			  Inpatient and Outpatient waiting list figures for Mid Essex Hospitals National Health Service Trust 
			  Month  Total inpatient waiting list  Number waiting over 26 weeks (6 months)  Total outpatient waiting list  Number waiting over 13 weeks 
			 April 06 6,649 0 7,314 0 
			 May 06 6,213 0 9,595 0 
			 June 06 6,744 0 9,419 0 
			 July 06 6,504 0 10,013 0 
			 August 06 6,552 0 9,678 0 
			 September 06 6,797 0 8,929 0 
			  Source: Departmental waiting times stats